


Purging the Pain

by zehry_raven



Category: Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children, Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Dimension Travel, F/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-10-22
Updated: 2014-10-23
Packaged: 2018-02-22 04:33:35
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 35,674
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2494610
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/zehry_raven/pseuds/zehry_raven
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Draco Malfoy and Rufus Shinra switched bodies. Ophelie, Rufus' personal assistant and Turk follow him to the other dimension to help him.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Purging the pain

Chapter 1: Fallen

"Put him over here!" Madam Pomfrey, a mediwitch, all but shrieked.

Snape, resident potions professor, gently laid the prone body of a blond boy on the bed of the infirmary. The boy's hair, streaked with dirt and dried blood, was gently cleaned by the professor. Sweat thinly coated the boy's brow as the nurse forced the potion down his throat.

"Not that I don't have confidence in you Pomfrey, but is he going to be alright?" Snape asked.

"Yes, just give him a few days. Taking a bludger to the head, they should give the players helmets!" exclaimed Pomfrey.

With that, the professor left to see to other matters. Such as writing a letter to the boy's father.

_ Lucius would would not be pleased. _ Snape thought

Back at the field, two redheaded boys were being slightly reprimanded by a girl.

"Honestly Hermione, he deserved it! He nearly knocked Harry out of his broom-" one of the redheads said.

"-not to mention slapping Harry's hand when he was about to get the snitch" the other redhead said

The girl frowned and said "Yes. Well he may have deserved it, but at least not at the head Fred"

"Well she kinda has a point George" Fred said

The blacked haired boy standing next to Hermione nodded in agreement

"Yeah. Even if he is Malfoy, I wouldn't wish anyone to get his on the head"

"Well, Harry we can't help-" Fred began

"-if we were merely doing our jobs" George finished

"Thanks Let's just get changed" said Harry

They walked back to the changing rooms and got dressed while Hermione went back to the field to find another redhead.


	2. Gone

Chapter 2: Gone

A girl with black hair and dressed in a suit gazed outside the window in Healin Lodge. Her amber eyes glittered with remorse when she turned her eyes back to the other figure with her in the room. The said figure was a blond man she was told to clandestinely protect by the head of the Turks. The said man slept without a care in the world. Though covered in bandages and lying on the bed, Rufus Shinra still managed to look as ethereal as ever. The girl crossed the room and checked for any changes of her charge's condition. She bit down on her lip when she noticed a black spot on Rufus' right hand.

_ Not good _ . She thought

She was drawn out of her musings when she heard the door of the room opened. A man in a suit with black hair crossed the room and stood near the bed of the man.

"Any changes with Rufus' condition Ophelie?" the man asked as his brow furrowed

"None sir…or I think so" Ophelie said meekly

The onyx haired man placed his hand on her head. This forced the girl to look at him, her amber eyes shifting once in a while to the figure on the bed.

"We've known each other for years, yet you still call me that" the man said, his hand never leaving her head while his coal eyes bored into her amber ones.

The girl cast her eyes back to the figure on the bed and muttered "Sorry Tseng"

Tseng sighed and spoke gently "It isn't your fault you know. I didn't call you earlier"

Ophelie's lips thinned "Yes" she retorted bitterly. Her hands clenched hard on both sides that her knuckles were starting turn pale.

"It couldn't be helped" Tseng said while removing his hand from her head. He noticed the black spot on Rufus' hand and frowned. Ophelie noticed this and sighed.

"Still doesn't mean that I'm off the hook" she whispered, then she turned back to Tseng and gazed at him melancholy.

"We seem to have another problem, I'm sure you've noticed" she indicated to Rufus' hand

"Yes. I'm quite aware of that. I had Reno and Rude research on it" Tseng replied and checked his watch

"And what of their research?" she asked, fiddling with a strand of her short hair out of habit.

"It's still on progress" Tseng replied evenly while staring at the figure on the bed. He scanned for other markings that might have been missed by Ophelie.

Ophelie picked up on Tseng's tone which she interpreted as _It means he's going to die._

After checking for markings he settled on a chair next to the window which Ophelie joined him after a while. They both sat in silence. Once in a while, they caught themselves gazing back to the figure on the bed – the one who once had the world on his fingertips. Rufus Shinra, heir to the Shinra Electric Company who provided the world with mako.

The company now lay in ruins together with the city once known as the Capital of the World, Midgar. Forced out due to the attack of Weapon, The Turks retreated to Healin Lodge with their fallen leader.

Tseng and Ophelie were brought out of their musings when they heard a groan coming from the bed. They both rushed to the side of Rufus to give assurance to the man.

The man slowly opened his eyes to his surroundings while both Turks waited anxiously for the man to give a sign that he was alright. The man met their gaze with a puzzled look.

"Who are you?" the man said

Both Turks were a bit shocked at the statement, though Tseng hid his expression well. Whereas Ophelie, she was…so to say…a bit pissed.

"You don't know?" she growled out.

The man on the bed looked a bit frightened, which caught her and Tseng by surprise. _Rufus is never afraid_

Tseng decided to humor the situation since he knew that Ophelie getting furious was unusual, meaning that violent things could happen and he did not want to experience it…again.

"What is your name?" Tseng began while Ophelie turned to him and raised an eyebrow.

"Malfoy. Draco Malfoy. And you?" the man asked, meeting his gazed with a smug aura.

_ Well, he certainly acts like Rufus. What's he playing at? _ Ophelie thought.

Ophelie glanced at Tseng and asked calmly "What you remember?"

'Draco' thought for a moment then said "I think I caught a bludger to the head and fell off my broom."

Both Turks excused themselves from the room and went to the kitchen. Tseng sat down on a chair while Ophelie leaned on the wall near the stove.

"He's gone mental" Ophelie said bluntly while Tseng raised an eyebrow.

"I don't think so. I think it's amnesia but having developed another persona is strange given the fact that there weren't any other variables to affect him"

"But what about the bruise on his hand?" asked Ophelie

"I think we both know that that isn't a bruise" Tseng replied

"Yeah…geostigma" muttered Ophelie

"I have a theory but it seems far-fetched" Tseng replied

"Well enlighten me" challenged Ophelie

"Well geostigma is connected to the Lifestream" Tseng began

"Yeah, go on" Ophelie nodded

"The Lifestream contains other…souls" Tseng continued

Realization dawned on Ophelie _You don't mean…_ Tseng nodded his head in silent agreement with the girl.

"But how is that possible?" Ophelie almost shrieked

"I don't really know. It's like asking how did we survive Meteor?" Tseng replied.

Ophelie thought for a moment before getting up from her position on the wall and heading out the front door.

"Where you going?" Tseng asked

"Nibelheim" Ophelie replied

"Going to see if Hojo had any ideas?" Tseng asked

"Yeah. Say hi to others for me" stated Ophelie

Purging the Pain


	3. Awake

Purging the Pain

Chapter 3: Awake

Disclaimer: Don't own FF& or HP. This is my first story. Read and review

In the infirmary of Hogwarts, a blond boy stirred awake. He slowly analyzed his surrounding and tried to sit up but felt a sharp pain at the back of his head. He reached for his head but was held back when he felt a twinge on his hand. He lifted it to inspect it and found a bruise starting to form. He paid no mind to it and proceeded to get out of bed. He then inspected his clothes. He found it strange. His shirt consisted of something green and robe-like while his pants were white and fitting.

_Not that I'm complaining, but at least I'm wearing clothes. It's bad enough that I don't know where I am._ He thought

He then made his way to the door but not before being stopped by a woman in robes. _Are robes the newest fashion statement?_ He mused.

"Mr. Malfoy" the woman said, to this the boy raised an eyebrow in question

Seeing no one else near him, the boy assumed that he was being addressed. He decided to humor her and replied in a suave voice "Yes?"

The woman was taken back when the boy responded politely and in such a tone. She knew that his family was aristocratic and proud. However, the way the boy responded wasn't in an overconfident tone. The boy was practically oozing with charisma. This bothered her since being discharged from the infirmary, boys usually act more humble. She realized that the boy was waiting for her and she quickly thrust a vial to the boy's hand. She explained that it would help him with the headaches that would follow due to the blow he received from the head.

"I give my gratitude for nursing me back to health" the boy said, though in a rather amused tone which again, bothered the woman. He bid her a good day and made his way out the door.

He wandered across the halls for hours before he met another person. The man was tall and wore black robes. To put it bluntly, he seemed a very intimidating person. But this didn't bother the boy at all. He approached the man to ask him a question about the place he was currently at but before he could speak, the man beat him to it.

"Draco, I didn't think you would wake up today. Do you have any idea how worried Lucius was?" the man said while checking the boy if he really was alright.

_Draco? Okay, I'll play along_

"I see" the boy replied in a bored tone which bothered the man.

He met the boy's gaze to read his mind and was met with the vision of an explosion. He was shocked because he knew that the boy's memory was supposed to be falling of a broom due to a bludger, not falling of a building due to an explosion.

With his curiosity getting the better of him, the man asked "Who are you?"

The boy felt his lips twitch. _Finally, someone who seems to know more than the usual._ He flicked his hair from his eyes and replied in a calm manner "Rufus Shinra, and you are?" then held out his hand.

The man was puzzled at the boy's answer. _Amnesia? No, not amnesia._ He then replied "Severus Snape, potions master" and shook his hand and pulled it away almost instantly.

_Lucius will definitely not be pleased_ Snape thought

Rufus quirked an eyebrow at the man's reaction. He knew he was intimidating but he wasn't expecting that kind of reaction. The man, Serverus, continued to gaze at him with curiosity until Rufus spoke.

"I know you find me fascinating but I would like some clarifications as to why I am here?" Rufus questioned.

Severus' curiosity was then raised due phrasing of the boy's question. Boys his age usually don't phrase words in such a manner. He then began to explain that he was at a school. He led the boy to his chamber to further interrogate him. Rufus told him a theory on how he got to the boy's – Draco – body.

"So this Lifestream, what is it exactly?" Snape asked

Rufus sipped a bit of his tea before replying "You could say that it is Gaia, or you could say it's where everything goes when they die. Either way, it's what gives life to the planet"

Snape raised an eyebrow while waiting for the rest of the explanation.

Rufus flicked a strand of hair before continuing "Yes. Due to certain circumstances that I will not divulge information about, I was probably close enough to the Lifestream and so was Draco." He met Snape's gaze in challenge to which Snape returned with a smug smile

"When we were brought back, there were complications. The similarities of our mental wave were so identical that we got misplaced, or so in theory" Rufus finished and munched on a biscuit. Normally, he wouldn't accept anything from people he just met. This was one of the rare exemptions. He was desperate but he didn't show it. He kept his façade because it seems to unnerve the man. He gave the man a few moments to let his theory to sink in. It was amusing to find the man so deep in thought. After a few minutes, the man replied

"I suggest that you keep to yourself, else others may become suspicious"

"Yes. It is for the best" Rufus nodded and followed Snape out of the room.

He was allowed to stay at Snape's quarters that night. He was told that he should not join other students till he understood the situation. The next day, he was briefed on what Draco usually did, what were his classes – fortunate that it was only three weeks into the term, he hadn't missed much – and who he was well acquainted with. He was also told about Draco's family even though he didn't have to meet them yet. However, the professor explained that they kept weekly correspondnce with each other.

In addition, his _parents were_ apparently fond of hosting grand parties since their manor was always featured in a magazine every Christmas. _It's just like ten years ago, except Ophelie isn't here to act as a buffer for boredom_ Rufus thought as he absorbed the information quickly, years of attending meetings have finally paid off. He headede to the Great Hall for breakfast.

He took a situated himself in one of the vacant seats and was joined by a rather annoying girl and three other boys. Two of the boys seem to have an intelligence of a rock while the third one seems to be more interested on every skirt that walks by. The girl on the other hand, kept calling him "Draky" and showering him with concern due to his time spent in the infirmary. He nodded politely to portions of conversations that others initiated and ignored others.

He felt someone staring at him. He thought that it was due to his recent injuries but thought otherwise. It couldn't have been his injuries because they were barely visible. He chose to ignore the feeling till he heard an old man calling for silence. He turned his head slightly to watch from the corner of his eye. He waited for the old man to say whatever he wanted.

_I just hope that his speeches aren't as boring as my old man's_


	4. Confrontations

Purging the Pain

Chapter 4: Confrontations

Disclaimer: Don't own FF7 or HP. This is my first story. Read and review

Tseng watched as Ophelie left. He hoped that she would find the something in the Nibelheim. After all, that was where priority experiments were conducted. His first visit to the area was due to an accidental discovery that led to his second reason for visiting. He couldn't decide which visit was more unpleasant, the former or the latter. The professor there had an uncanny ability to make the most pleasant situations turn into nightmares. He turned his attention to the man whose focus seems to be on him.

He wanted to trudge on the subject of the man's mental state, but that seems too delicate at the moment. He decided to humor the man about his statement of 'getting hit by a bludger and falling out of his broom'. He sat down on the chair near the bed and began the interrogation.

"You said your name was Draco Malfoy?" Tseng asked

"Yeah. Why?" the man asked

"No reason, just confirming your statement. You said you fell off your broom?" Tseng continued

"Yes" Draco replied, his suspicions about Tseng's questions gave dawn to nature of the interrogation

"And I assume that you were in the air while you were on the broom?" Tseng asked

Draco sighed _I was right. He's a muggle_ then replied "I have a feeling that you wouldn't believe me even if told you the truth"

He then looked at Tseng and answered "I'm a wizard"

Silenced enveloped them as Tseng processed the answer. He analyzed again the figure on the bed and thought _He may have a reason for keeping his identity a secret but of all the excuses he could give, he decides to give the most ludicrous one_

They continued to analyze each other. The blond man on the bed glared at the brunette at the chair as if daring him to call him a lunatic. However, the brunette kept a cool expression while meeting his glare. This made the blond change his look from one of challenge to a look of mild curiosity.

"You don't seem shocked" Draco said as he fiddled with a lock of his hair before flicking it.

Tseng gave him an amused look before replying "Yes. Well, even if your reasoning is absurd we do have magic here and there. You could say that we had our fair share of strange encounters. Flying brooms could be plausible here but I have never heard of it"

Draco nodded his head in understanding. He then returned his attention to Tseng and gave him a questioning look. Tseng gave him a nod to signal that he was free to ask.

"That girl" Draco began "she has…unique eyes"

Tseng silently agreed _Yes she does and I'm not sure if she knows why_

Draco was about to ask another question before he was interrupted by a phone call. He looked Tseng as the man walked out of the room. _This must be a very strange dream_

Tseng went into the kitchen to answer the call. He wasn't surprised to hear Ophelie's voice accompanied with the roar of the helicopter's engine.

" **Sir, I'll be there in a few minutes** "

"Understood. I trust you have found the information we need"

" **Yes sir, that and more** " Ophelie growled out

"Any problems?" Tseng asked in concern _She seems to revert to sir when there's something wrong_ Tseng thought

" **Not really. Are the others there?** "

"Not at the moment"

" **Good, because I have a few questions I that have to be answered** " Ophelie replied before signing off.

A few minutes later, the front door of Healin Lodge opened and a somewhat irritated Ophelie trudged through. She went in search of Tseng before checking the condition of 'Rufus'. She found him in the kitchen, leaning on the counter while sipping coffee. She threw some files on the table then glared at him with such intensity.

The folders were stamped with a bright red 'CLASSIFIED'. Tseng put down his mug of coffee before approaching the table to check the contents of the folders.

Ophelie had her hands clenched at both sides. She nodded towards the files then growled "Explain"

Tseng closed one of the folders and met her gaze.

"It's whatever it says it is" Tseng replied bluntly

"That's not what I meant" Ophelie said, looking down at the files angrily

Tseng circled the table to meet Ophelie. He placed one of his hands on her shoulder which forced her to meet his eyes. She met them with an accusing gaze. Tseng sighed and removed his hand from her shoulder.

"What do you remember?" _from your past_ Tseng mentally added

Ophelie sat down on one of the chairs before replying "Not much" _aside from the creepy professor and the labs…and the kid with blond hair_. She mused

Tseng sat on the chair across her. He opened one of the files that showed a picture of the insides of a cave. There were runes littered on the walls and blood splattered on the floor.

"Do you remember that?" Tseng slid the folder to her and pointed at the picture

Ophelie stared at it and replied "No"

Tseng opened another folder. It showed an amber glowing round orb.

"How about that?" He slid the folder to her

Ophelie looked at the picture then retrieved something from her pocket. It was the same object shown in the picture. She passed it to Tseng

"That's it right?" she asked "It was next to the folder"

Tseng nodded before returning the orb to her and replied "Materia. The only kind we have no information about"

He stared at her for a long time and waited for her question that he was sure would come. Ophelie bit her lip and said "So all this time…" she looked at Tseng then continued "…the reason I was able to save you in the Temple of Ancients…is because I am monster". She turned to leave but Tseng took hold of her sleeve. She stared at him and bit her lip. He wasn't disgusted as her. He was staring at her in a brotherly manner.

"You're not a monster" Tseng said "You're just special"

Ophelie looked at him and slightly smiled "Yeah. You said the same thing the blond twerp from before"

Tseng froze _Blond twerp? She doesn't mean…but he's the only kid there._

Ophelie felt something wrong with Tseng, but he assured her that he was alright. He gestured to the files.

"What about the information that we need?" he asked

"That was the most significant I could find, aside from the Cetra" Ophelie replied "There's also a theory about the materia"

Tseng nodded his head for her to continue.

"The professor believed it allowed the user to access the Lifestream. Though he couldn't test it because he never had anyone to experiment on, his theory seems acceptable." _He wouldn't dare to test it on Sephiroth. Most likely he wouldn't test it on me._ Ophelie thought.

Tseng pondered the information. He read some of the abstracts of the files on the table. He then arranged them on the table. Ophelie mused on how efficient he was in clearing the table. She snapped out of her thoughts when she heard an engine of a car outside.

Tseng and Ophelie stared at each other. However, Tseng had a more calculating gaze. He picked up the files and went to his room, Ophelie following close by. While storing the files in one of the drawers, he briefed Ophelie on her new mission.

"Test out the materia" Tseng began as he slipped the files in one of the drawers. When he heard the front door open, he quickly grabbed a bag under his bed and thrust it to Ophelie.

"Your equipment is in there and other things that I think might be useful" He glanced at the door before turning back to Ophelie.

"If they ask why you're in a Turk uniform-"

"-my clothes fell on a mud hole out back while I was doing the laundry" Ophelie finished

Tseng smiled and placed his hand on her head. Ophelie was short. Smaller than Elena, she was a head shorter than Tseng, not to mention she looked like a teenager. She looked up to Tseng and smiled tightly.

"I know. I can't tell them" she said as she turned to leave

"Someday, when this is all over" Tseng replied, following her out the bedroom.

She met a redhead on her way out of Healin Lodge. He accompanied by a tall bald man and blond woman.

"Hi Reno, Rude Elena" she stopped and greeted them.

"Hey babe" the red head named Reno replied as he tossed her one of his winning smiles. The bald man and the blond woman smiled at her.

"Not staying for dinner?" Elena, the blond woman asked while the bald man – Rude – cocked his head and adjusted his shades.

"Sorry, can't. Tseng asked me to do some paper work" Ophelie replied.

She bid them good night and made her way to the garage. She placed her bag on one of the compartments of her custom-made bike. Unlike the other Turks that had black sedans, she had a bike. The said bike was monstrous, similar to that of another blond she was acquainted with. She started the engine and made her way to another shelter she found at the outskirts of Midgar, or what was left of Midgar.

After putting away her bike, she entered the shelter and settled herself on the makeshift bed. She rummaged through her bag for the copy she made of the files and browsed through it. While reading the research, she took out the material in her pocket with her left hand, her right hand turning the pages on the reports. She abandoned the report and examined the material, feeling that there were carvings on the surface.

Unfortunately, she didn't notice that she had a paper cut on her index finger, nor did she notice that said paper cut is currently leaving traces of blood on the carvings of the material. It was too late when she finally realized what happened. As her blood seeped into the carvings, the material shimmered and turned crimson.

_Tseng is so going to shoot me_. Were her last thoughts before falling unconscious.

When Ophelie finally came through, the first thing she saw was an old man wearing strange clothes hovering over her. Guided by instincts, she reached in her jacket and pulled out a 45mm and pointed it at the old man's forehead. She was disturbed that the old man remained calm and looked slightly curious at the gun pointed at his head.

"Who are you?" she demanded, her unoccupied hand propping her from the floor.

The old man replied in a calm voice "Professor Albus Dumbledore, Headmaster of Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardry"

She raised an eyebrow, _Wizard equals broom_

"Do you happen to use brooms for flying" she asked, getting up and fixing her suit but not lowering her gun

To say that Dumbledore was stunned was an understatement. When he gave the idea of magic to muggles, they usually reply with the 'Prove it' or 'Mental'. He pushed the gun away from his head and replied "Yes we do. However, I'm not fond of using it as transportation. They normally use it for Quidditch"

Ophelie digested the information before storing her gun at her suit's inner breast pocket of her jacket. She then realized that she was still holding on to the material and quickly pocketed it. This had not gone unnoticed by the professor. She then stared at the Dumbledore.

Dumbledore reached in his robes and pulled out his stick. He noticed that the girl's index finger was twitching. He raised his hand in surrender and said "Not to worry, I was just going to get you a chair". He then waved his wand and a cushioned chair appeared. He then watched as the girl approached the chair with caution. When the girl was settled, he then went back to his desk and took a seat.

"I assume that you appeared here from somewhere that isn't familiar with magic?" he asked

"Not really" the girl replied, her index finder stopped twitching

Dumbledore waited for further explanation before realizing that he wouldn't get one. Getting up from the chair, he went to the girl.

"How about you stay here for the mean time?" he suggested, after casting Legimens on her.

"Thank you for the offer. I hope that I am not imposing" she replied reluctantly

"Not at all. But we do need to get you sorted, as you will be staying as a student" Albus replied. The girl gave him a confused look to which he chuckled.

"Not to worry" he assured her "Come down early to the Great Hall tomorrow. I'll have someone fetch you". He then called out 'Dobby' and a scruffy looking elf appeared. He then instructed the elf to lead the girl to one of the spare rooms in the castle. He was again surprised when the girl cocked an eyebrow to the appearance of the house elf.

Before the girl reached the door he said "I believe you haven't told me your name yet…Miss" he smiled gently

The girl stopped and replied "Ophelie. Ophelie Marcia"

"Then Ophelie, I suggest you come up with a story why you arrived late for school" he then dismissed her.

She was led to the third floor of the castle, they seem to cross the hall three or four times before she noticed a door. The elf led her to the room. It was similar to one of the rooms in Healin Lodge.

She turned to the elf "Thank you…um…"

The elf grinned at her "You are most welcome kind miss. Dobby is fortunate to have met another kind person such as kind miss" he then bowed to her and took his leave.

Ophelie settled herself on the bed. _If what the old man said about brooms is correct then Rufus should probably be here._

She took of her jacket and placed her gun under her pillow. Then she unlaced her boots and placed them at the foot of her bed. With that, she got under the covers and slept.

Ophelie was woken up by sharp knocks to the door. She quickly got dressed and opened the door. She was met by an intimidating man in black robes. She met his gaze with a raised eyebrow.

"Can I help you?" Ophelie said

The man pursed his lips and replied "I am Professor Serverus Snape. You must be Ophelie Marcia"

"Yes" she replied, unfazed by slight animosity she detected

Snape then thrust a package to her. She looked at him in question. Snape sighed.

"These are school robes. Get changed" he ordered

Ophelie gave him a curt nod and shut the door. She again took her jacket off then proceeded to open the package.

_You have got to be kidding me_

She lifted one of the articles of using her index and thumb as if they were contaminated. She placed it on the bed then proceeded to untie her boots.

_Even Reno couldn't get me to wear a skirt._

She sighed and got dressed. She folded her clothes and went out the door. She was again met by the man who held out a paper bag. She took it and placed her clothes inside. She was then led to a series of winding stair cases and halls full of moving portraits. She schooled her face into indifference since she notice that the man was staring at her. She was slightly amused when the man pursed his lips.

_Probably expected to see me with my mouth hanging open. Sorry to disappoint._

After a few minutes, they arrived to a set of large doors. She was instructed by the man to wait until her name was called.

_Oh the suspense is killing me_ She thought sarcastically as she fiddled with the hem of her skirt.


	5. Meetings

Purging the Pain

Chapter 5: Meetings

Disclaimer: Don't own FF7 or HP. This is my first story. Draco will have a small role, depends if I can think of something creative. Sorry to his fans. For the OC, I'm trying to make her as realistic as possible. There are many unanswered question but it would all be cleared in due time.

Rufus nibbled his toast and caught snippets of the old man's speech. His eyes wandered to the man with black robes sitting on the table together with what he assumed to be other professors. The man gave him a curt nod before returning his attention to speaker. Rufus placed down his piece of toast and decided to the same as well.

"…treat her as if she were any other student" the old man said then gestured to the door "If you please, I would to introduce you to Miss Ophelie Marcia"

The doors opened and a girl with black layered hair that reached her collar walked slowly towards the old man. He gestured for her to take a seat on the stool at the center of hall. She approached it apprehensively and settled down. An ancient looking hat was placed on her head and the seams opened as it spoke.

"Aren't you a little late to be sorted?" the hat said amusedly

Ophelie tried to control her features but she spotted a blond boy staring at her with such intensity. She pursed her lips and met the gaze with a raised eyebrow. However, this didn't faze the boy. In fact, the twerp had the audacity to smirk at her! She then pondered on why the smirk seemed so familiar but a voice interrupted her.

"You seem to know young Draco Malfoy" the hat said "maybe I should put you in Slytherin"

_Okay_ she thought slowly _never met the guy in my life but whatever_

"So much potential, not to mention unbelievable power" the hat continued

_You don't know the half of it_ she thought bitterly

"But I do" the hat said "it's all, in, your, head" emphasizing each word

_Well then Mr. Hat, why don't you just get on with the program. Unlike you, I actually have something better to do than picking on people's minds_ she thought scathingly

"But it's oh so difficult" the hat replied "So similar to the Mr. Potter. So much power, but willing to give it all up to save one person. Not to mention your given name, the young boy really knows how to judge character. Did you know that the Ancients used names to tell how an infant would turn out when they grew up? Brave Serpent indeed."

_Yeah. Whatever. It doesn't really count if I didn't do anything she thought cynically_

"Hmm. Well then, the most appropriate for you would be…Gryffindor!" the hat yelled

She took of the had and placed in on the stool then said "Love to chat but next time, try not to pick on my brain too much. You might see something unpleasant"

The old man chuckled at her and pointed her to the table were students wearing scarlet robes were seated. She made her way across the hall and took as seat between two identical red heads. When she settled down in her seat, she felt someone staring at her. She turned her head and was met by the gaze of the same blond boy earlier. The boy smirked and realization dawned on her.

Her eyes grew wide and she stared. _I didn't think it would be this easy to find him. Blond hair. Same smug attitude and arrogant smirk. If you aren't Rufus then I am so beating that guy called Draco till he get's the idea into his head that he's the President._

The boy's smirk turned into a gentle smile before returning to nibbling at his toast. Ophelie then turned her attention back to the table and was met by two grinning red heads. They offered each of their hands for her to shake. She shook them as they told her their names.

"I'm Fred-" the red her to her right said while slinging an arm over her shoulder.

"-and I'm George" the other red head to her left said. Also slinging an arm over her shoulder

"And we are the infamous Weasley Twins" they said at the same time

"Please to meet you" she said reluctantly. _And I thought that one Reno was enough. Unfortunately, there's two of them right here._

"So where you from?" the one on her right asked

"Um…Nibelheim" she answered _Not exactly a lie_ then made a grab for one of the apples but it was snatched away then offered to her by the red head on her left.

"Never heard of it. You French or something. Cause your name suggests so" the red head to her left said.

"It's a back water town" she answered after swallowing the chewed piece of her apple "As for the name, let's just say that my parents weren't really there at the moment" _more like the little twerp gave me a name and I decided to stick to it._

After breakfast the twins then introduced her to their little brother and sister. The boy's name was Ron while the girl's name was Ginny. She was resisting the urge to hit their brother at his head for openly staring at her. _I know Reno said I would look hot in a skirt but I didn't think he meant it._ The girl on the other hand, did her a favor by elbowing the other in the gut to stop staring. She offered a smile which the girl enthusiastically returned. They were then joined by another boy, this time with black hair and a girl with brown hair carrying a few books. The boy offered his hand and introduced himself.

"Hi. I'm Harry. Harry Potter" he said while expecting the same reaction he usually gets

Ophelie merely shook his hand and replied "Charmed".

Harry was slightly taken aback by the lack of reaction but was relieved that he wouldn't gain another fanatic. He then helped Hermione with her books so that she could greet the girl properly.

"Hermione Granger. Please to meet you" she said and offered her hand

Ophelie shook her hand and replied "Likewise". She was then briefed about the class they were heading to. They walked through several halls that eventually led to what appeared to be a dungeon.

"This is where you learn?" Ophelie asked

"Yeah. Not to mention the professor is git" the red head boy, Ron, mentioned

"Couldn't be that bad right?" she asked

"Wait till you see how he sneers at me" the black haired boy, Harry, replied

Ron nodded his head in agreement "And we have it with the stuck up Slytherins" he added

They were then approached by a group of students wearing green robes. Some of them sneered at them while others refused to notice their existence. The exemption to all this was the blond boy that caught her attention before. She noticed that her acquaintances were looking at the boy with such animosity. The boy looked at them then gave her a questioning look which she replied with a shrug as they entered the room. The event didn't go unnoticed by Hermione who chose to remain silent.

As soon as they soon as they settled themselves, Ophelie choosing to seat next to Hermione as to avoid Ron's staring, the door opened and the same man who escorted her to the Great Hall entered. He sneered at Harry and began writing at the board.

"Since we have a new student today, I've decided to save myself the trouble of lecturing again by giving you this time to answer a few questions" He began pacing the classroom and glaring at some students. He caught Ophelie's gaze and scowled. She returned it with a look of boredom and drummed her fingers on the desk.

"The questions are based on the muggle periodic table of elements. Though some of you may find it unnecessary in magic, it is actually quite useful when dealing with potions. It allows you calculate certain amounts of ingredients to acquire a reaction or correct one." He glared at a nervous looking boy. He then scanned the classroom for his first victim. His eyes focused on Ophelie and he smirked

"Ms. Marcia" he drawled "If a container is filled with an absurd amount of hydrogen, what would be needed to neutralize the threat of it turning into something explosive?"

Having spent the majority of her time in Professor Hojo's lab, she was well acquainted with such chemicals. The question may have caused other students' eyebrows to scrunch together but it didn't faze her. She flicked a hair from her eye and thought for a moment. Hermione was whispering something to her but she took no notice of it

She replied "Most probably oxygen since it would stabilize the electron of the hydrogen by completing the suggested amount of 8 electrons with the 7 external electrons it has to the 1 electron that hydrogen has. Not to mention, we actually drink the combined compound" she finished smirking

Snape was appalled with her answer. He was expecting a textbook answer since he noticed that Granger was whispering to her. He decided to continue the lecture instead of further embarrassing himself.

Rufus smirked at the professor after receiving Ophelie's answer. Of course he knew the answer. His 'father' spent a fortune to ensure that he got the best education available. He browsed through one of the notes of the girl that was always so clingy. He didn't find it unusual that some ingredients, when combined together could be formidable. He could accept the fact if it was only one ingredient because it would be similar to the plants back at home.

As the class progressed, he continued to observe Ophelie. She looked the same as she was 15 years ago, except back then she had long hair. His thoughts drifted back to the time introduced to her by Tseng.

_A young boy quickly scanned the document that he was holding. He pressed the bridge of his nose as if to ease the tension that he was feeling. He turned back to the stack of paper on his desk and sighed. He knew that if he didn't finish this earlier he would have to work through lunch to get it done by the end of the day._

_As he read paper after paper, he didn't notice his door open and a man with dark hair followed by a girl around his age entered. He continued to read the paper that was in his hand till a small cough interrupted his thoughts. He placed the paper down and gave the man his undivided attention._

" _Is this important Tseng? The old man gave me quite a stack today." He said gesturing to the pile of papers on his desk_

_The smiled at him and beckoned the girl behind him to come forward. She was around his age with long ebony hair that reached her lower back. The girl shyly approached the desk and bowed slightly. The boy tossed the man a questioning look to which the man answered_

" _This is Ophelie Marcia. I trust that she is qualified enough to assist you with your work"_

_The met the girl's gaze, he was shocked to meet a familiar set of amber eyes. He hid it well and dismissed the man. He wondered if she still remembered the meeting they had 5 years ago at Nibelheim. He scrutinized her till she fidgeted. He smirked_

" _You seem well" he said_

_The girl gave him a curious look and replied "Sir?"_

_The boy shrugged and gestured to the stack in front of him. He explained to her that he needed the files to be sorted into the department indicated in the header of each page. Then they should be sorted to the files that are urgent and those that could wait another day. The girls nodded her head then proceed to gather the files and went to the other side of the room where his last secretary worked before he fired her._

_The boy took a moment to observe the girl. Her hands gracefully thumbed to the pages as she read each heading of the file. She began sorting each file according to their respective departments. She stopped going through the files and stared back at him._

_Having been caught so openly gawking at his new secretary, the boy slightly flushed and gave her a small smile. He was not disappointed when the girl gave her an equal smile in return then turned back to her work._

_They fell into a routine of reading, sorting and signing of papers, and of course the occasional meetings that he had to attend in which she would tag along to take notes. However, one particular meeting changed the routine that they were so accustomed to. Apparently, the president thought that the meeting was not as important for him to attend personally. He decided to send his son instead of going there himself. Lucky him._

" _Sir. I need you to trust me in what I'm going to do" she said evenly_

_They were currently taking refuge in a broom closet since the building was currently being overrun with terrorists searching for the Shinra heir to be held ransom. She shifted one of the boxes and pulled out a metal casing. He was taken aback when she opened the case. Inside was an SPR94 shotgun/rifle, together with it was 2 desert eagle handguns, a silencer, 5 grenades and 3 materias._

" _Where did that come from?" asked a stunned Rufus_

_She handed him the SPR94, a desert eagle, 2 grenades and 2 materias. One of ice, the other one cure. She then pocketed the last material and the remaining grenades. She listened through the door, waiting for any signs of footsteps. Rufus followed her lead while she explained._

" _Tseng didn't think that it would be safe" she whispered "He told me you would've liked the gun"_

_Rufus chuckled "Yeah. I do" then he cocked the gun as he heard footsteps_

_Ophelie did the same while replying "Reno insisted on bringing an RPG but Tseng thought it would be overkill"_

_They burst through the door and were swarmed by around 20 people. They ran through the end of the corridor while alternately firing at their assailants. They rounded the corner and paused for a while._

" _Still think the RPG was overkill?" Rufus panted_

" _I said Tseng thought it" she panted "I though it was cool"_

_She took the pin out of the grenade and hurled it towards their assailants. They continued running till they reached a dead end. She opened on of the rooms and ushered Rufus side. They tried to catch their breathe; unfortunately they heard footsteps heading their way. She opened one of the doors leading to the balcony and beckoned Rufus to come over. She assessed the height of the balcony to the ground. Rufus followed her lead and also began to estimate._

" _It's around a twelve-meter drop give or take" he said_

" _Not enough to kill a person" she replied_

" _You don't seriously plan on-" he was cut off when the door burst open._

" _No time" she hurled Rufus and herself over the edge._

_She wrapped her arms around Rufus to secure him in what she was about to execute. She leaned forward hoping that the momentum would cause them to flip and spread out the impact to avoid breaking any bones._

_They landed on the concrete and rolled a few. They acquired few scrapes and bruises but no broken bones. SOLDIERS started to storm into the build while they were being tended by nearby medic. While the medics were cleaning their wounds, a dark haired man in a suit approached them._

_Ophelie noticed this and called out "And you said the RPG would be overkill"_

_The man chuckled "Not really. I just thought it wouldn't be beneficial to us if you took out half the building"_

" _It wasn't beneficial to start with, Tseng" Rufus joined in "the man merely wanted to set me up with his daughter. We didn't even scratched the surface of the contract that he presented"_

" _I see" Tseng replied "But at least you were able to confirm the skill of your new assistant"_

" _Her skill as an OFFICE ASSISTANT" Rufus emphasized "not her skills as a bodyguard. I didn't even realize it until she took out the metal case in the broom closet"_

" _Well, sir thought that it would be appropriate if you or any other people didn't know I was a bodyguard" she said "looking defenseless has its advantages"_

His thoughts were interrupted when the annoying girl clung to him saying that class had ended and they should hurry to their next class. He told his supposed friends that he would catch up with them and waited for everyone to leave the room. Luck was on his side when the girl he was staring at since this morning decided to do the same thing. _She never changes_

When the last person left, he wasn't surprised when the girl turned to her. They stared at each other for a long time till one of them broke the silence.

"If I knew you'd be arriving, I would have probably gotten you a gift" Rufus drawled

"Yeah, and if I knew you were at your office that time, this would've never happened!" She snapped then frowned "Sorry"

"What for?" Rufus asked sincerely

"For not being there" she muttered not meeting his gaze

Rufus looked at her sadly and approached her. He then wrapped his arms around her and forced her head to rest on his shoulder. He chuckled lightly when he felt her stiffen. She gently pushed him away and looked at him with remorse. He sighed and flicked his hair.

"It couldn't be helped" he released his hold on her

"Yes it could" she whispered and noticed the bruise forming at the back of his right hand. She frowned and grabbed his hand.

Rufus was startled by her actions. She never initiated any physical contact lest she thought it was necessary. He felt awkward as she traced the bruise forming at his hand. He didn't feel any pain when pressed down a bit, which was a bit strange. She then looked up to him with a bitter smile

"I thought that it wouldn't be able to harm you here" she said letting go of his hand

Rufus threw her a questioning look "What wouldn't be able to harm me?" he urged her to continue

"That isn't a bruise" she gestured to his hand "it's geostigma"

"Geostigma?" Rufus asked

"It was a disease that manifested after Meteor almost hit earth." She replied "Your…body back at Healin showed the same signs and Tseng sent the rest to research about it"

Rufus stared at the darkening patch of his skin "Is it lethal?" he asked

Ophelie chose not to reply but instead focused her eyes on his hand. Rufus repeated his question again. She met his gaze and immediately he knew the answer. He let out a frustrated sigh.

"Let's just get to class. I'll find something in their library" she replied

They left the room in search for their fellow students. Unfortunately, they missed the set of red headed twins lurking in the hallway. The twins grinned and pursued their newest plaything.


	6. Turks

Purging the Pain

Chapter 6: Turks

Disclaimer: Do not own FF7 or HP. Just thought that Draco and Rufus are so alike. Read and review. If you want to see something interesting, send your suggestions together with your reviews.

Tseng met his fellow Turks on the way to room where 'Rufus' was staying. He noticed the slightly haggard looks they had. He then followed them towards the President's room but before they entered, he stopped them. Reno raised an eyebrow and Elena gave a questioning look. Rude on the other hand chose to remain silent

"Yo boss-man. What's the deal? We thought to check up the Pres" Reno said

"Sir?" Elena asked

Tseng gave Reno a stern look for the nickname and the redhead gave him a sheepish look. Elena continued to give him a puzzled look while Rude chose not to comment. He gave a defeated look and led them towards the living room.

"I suggest you take a seat" Tseng said as he sat down on one of the individual couches. Reno took the other individual couch across him while Elena and Rude took the loveseat.

"Well boss-man? What's the sit? You usually ain't this serious and I swear me an' Rude did nothin' but follow orders" Reno said "…this time" he added as an after thought

Tseng pursed his lips before replying gravely "It's Rufus"

After hearing this, all three Turks tensed and edged closer to their leader. Even the normally stoic Rude showed a little concern. Elena bit her lip in anticipation for the grim news while Reno suddenly took on a very serious expression.

"What's wrong sir?" Elena tentatively asked

Tseng clenched his fist and replied "He's out of a coma-" he began but was cut of by Reno

"-That's good then! Here you had me worried that-" the redhead was cut of when Tseng raised his hand to silence him. He muttered an apology and allowed the man to continue.

"As I was saying" Tseng continued "He has woken from his coma but seems to be suffering mentally" he gave a stern look to the redhead that was about to give a rather crude comment. This stopped him and allowed Tseng to continue. "Not in the schizophrenic sense. More like a multiple personality, except in this case he was able to develop an entirely different identity and doesn't remember the events that occurred before he woke up"

Tseng gave them a moment to let the information sink in. Elena looked thoughtful, her eyebrows scrunching to think on how they had allowed such a thing to happen. Reno looked skeptical, if not at all, confused. Rude on the other hand, decided it was time he placed his 2 cents in.

"In Psychology" Rude began as all eyes concentrated on him "they say that a person develops another personality to confront situation in which they can't handle themselves" he paused and adjusted his sunglasses "However, this is the President we're referring to. There is no situation that he can't handle"

"Sir? Is there something else?" she asked tentatively, her eyes reflecting apprehension at his worn out features.

"There is something else" he paused grimly continuing "he has geostigma"

The redhead suddenly sprang from his seat and raced to the President's room. The other two followed, hoping to restrain their comrade's actions. Tseng decided to head to the same direction but in a more calm fashion.

When he reached the room, he arrived in a scene that he didn't find entirely shocking. The blond on the bed was appalled by the redhead that was clutching his wrist, a large bald man barely restraining the said redhead and a blond trying to calm down said redhead. The blond man gave a pleading look to Tseng.

Tseng couldn't help but let out a stifled chuckle despite the circumstances. This was one of the few moments he was able to see Rufus show any other expression aside from the usual icy veneer, even though it was not really Rufus. Tseng ordered them to leave and the blond man gave him a grateful look.

"Thank you" the blond said while rubbing his right wrist. The redhead had quite a grip. "Who where those people?" the blond asked

Tseng shook his head at their antiques "Colleagues of mine. More importantly, your bodyguards" he said in a professional tone "technically Rufus' bodyguards but since you are currently being hosted in his body, that makes them yours Mr. Malfoy"

The blond took a moment for it to sink in "Is that so?" he said haughtily

Tseng immediately caught on to the man's change in tone and replied "I suggest that you do not abuse the position you unintentionally landed in" his voice bordering on the edge of being considered threatening "They are loyal men. I did not inform them about your exact situation since they tend to act irrationally as you have just observed" he then smirked "instead, I informed them that you have taken another persona as a side effect of the stress of the accident" _and geostigma, but you don't have to know that yet_

The boy gave him a dirty look and replied accusingly "You told them I was mental?!" he shrieked

"In a way" Tseng felt the corners of his mouth twitch. He could at least enjoy 'Rufus' being so high strung. The man was so amusing to watch. _Even though it isn't him and he could die at any moment_ he frowned at this thought. 'Rufus' scowled at him. The expression seemed so foreign in the man's face. The last time he saw such an expression was when Ophelie was still an 'office assistant' and there was still a place to call an office. Tseng was called out of reverie when the man asked him a question.

"What accident were you talking about?" Draco asked. As far as he knew he only took a bludger to the head and fell of his broom. _Damn Potter and Weasels_

Tseng tensed as bit but this was overlooked by Draco who was yet again observing his surroundings while waiting for an answer. Tseng complied.

"Before you woke up" he started "You, well, your body, was caught in an explosion"

Draco's eyes were fixed at him. He inclined his head in anticipation for what was next to come. Obsidian eyes scrutinizing him were comparable to that of his father. His father's eyes, however, where not as overpowering as this man's. His father had an aristocratic charisma. This man had an allure that could be likened to a Venus flytrap.

"What about the other guy?" Draco asked "He was staring at my hand as if it was the most fascinating thing"

Tseng grimaced. He didn't want to cause panic given the man's current state but decided that prolonging the inevitable was rarely a good thing, even though he thought that this was one of those times. He hovered by the man's side and gestured for his hand. The man complied but cautiously offered his right hand.

Tseng carefully inspected the portion where the skin began to grow dark. He gently traced the outline of the darkening skin and tenderly placed pressure on the area.

"Does it hurt?" examining the man's face for any change in facial expression, he twitched a little and took it as a sign.

"A little" Draco replied "it doesn't exactly hurt when you touch it. It sort of spasms, like a cramp but a little bit more intense"

Tseng nodded and settled himself back on the chair beside the bed. He watched the man looking intently at the blemish on his skin.

"Does it get worse?" Draco asked dread lacing his words

"Yes" he replied. He couldn't lie to the man even though he technically wasn't his employer. The man motioned for him to continue.

"There have been a fairly large amount of casualties in the past months" he tried breaking it to the man as gently as possible "there isn't any known means of restoring your health, at the moment"

The man's eyes widened as realization sunk in. He gaped at his hand then back to the man that explained the situation to him.

"Casualties?! You mean I'm gonna die?!" the man screeched. He started to hyperventilate and he clutched his hand as spasms raced across his hand towards his arm. He fell back and writhed on the bed as blinding pain clouded his vision. He felt his heart palpitate and tears streaked his faced. Tseng leaped from his seat and tried to restrain the man without aggravating his injuries. He called out for help as the man began to scream.

Reno was the first in the room followed by Elena and Rude. They saw their leader trying to pin down their President. Reno crossed the room and secured the legs of the President while Rude assisted Elena in searching for the sedatives.

"It's in the medicine cabinet in the bathroom" Tseng half yelled as he was barely restraining the man's flailing arms.

Elena came back a few moments with a syringe. She handed it to Rude since he would be more capable of performing the task of sedating the man. Tseng shifted a little to allow Rude access to the man's neck. He gave a nod and Rude complied with the silent order.

The effects were immediate. The once thrashing figure on the bed now lay still. Tseng surveyed the damage that occurred. Apparently, the darkened patch on the man's hand started excreting black fluid. He went to the bathroom to fetch a washcloth and a few bandages. When he returned, his fellow Turks were watching the man sleep.

He quickly cleaned the hand and bandaged it. After doing so, he spotted a dark stain forming on the man's shirt above his chest. He made a rapid work of the shirt's button and nearly gasped at the sight. There was a large portion of black pus covering the chest of the man. He instructed Elena to get a basin and more bandages.

The affair had taken a toll on the Turks psyche. They were all engaging in activities that would take their mind of the scene that played out a few moments ago. Tseng had gone to his room to retire, though they knew that he would not really be sleeping. Reno raided the liquor cabinet while Rude joined him. Elena, deciding that they would need to eat sometime, made dinner.

She arranged plates on the table while letting the stew simmer on the stove. She then went to check on the President but found him still unconscious. After that she went to Tseng's room to tell him about dinner. She gave three sharp knocks before entering the room.

"Dinner will be ready in a few minutes" Elena said

He looked up from the file that he was reading then nodded and continued reading. Elena took a few steps into towards Tseng and cleared her throat.

"What is it?" Tseng asked sounding a bit tired.

Elena noticed this and asked "Would you like me to bring a plate to your room instead?"

Tseng closed the folder and gave her a slight smile then replied "That would be nice". Elena nodded and took her leave. Tseng sighed and leaned back on his chair. He thought that things would be less complicated once Rufus woke up. Unfortunately, forces were going against him. _Maybe it's karma working_.

There was a knock on the door and Elena came in with a plate of stew and glass of water. She placed it on his desk. Tseng gave her a grateful smile and she took her leave once more. He picked on his food while simultaneously reading the file he obtained from Ophelie the other day. He grimaced as he looked at the report. Loosing his appetite, he pushed the plate away and continued reading the report.

The file showed a picture of what seems to look like a female except with extra appendages protruding from her back. It looked liked wings but not quite. They had a tattered cloak-like appearance that looked about three meters long.

This was not the reason why he lost his appetite. Aside from the said wings, the creature was covered blood. He could make out the outline of leaf-like tattoos encircling the specimen's forearm. He cringed at the face of the female. It looked so much like Ophelie's except it had a maniacal grin and incisors jutting out the corners of its lips. Its eyes had a feral quality that made him internally shiver.

He had seen this form of her once and he did not wish to see it again. He had lost count on how many years had past, but he remembered it like no other.

_A man was leaning against a wall of a cave as he tried to catch his breath._

_He clutched his shoulder as it bled profusely. He ran as fast as he could to put some distance between him and the monster that was out for his blood. His luck had run dry as he fell into a trench that was apparently an opening to a cave._

_Pushing himself from the wall he made his way through the cave. A small stream of water was rushing under his feet but he could hardly care. He heard a splash not too far from him and started running. He knew that he would not make it out alive if he didn't loose the monster. He was around two hundred meters away from the opening but tripped on one of the rocks jutting from the cave's floor. He was about to loose consciousness till a rustling of chains caught his attention._

" _Do you wish to live?" an eerie feminine voice spoke_

_He turned to see a girl around fifteen or so staring at him as he lay prone on the cave floor. She was deathly pale. Shackles with broken chains bound her wrists. Her clothes were dirty and she was bare foot. What shocked him most was the color of her eyes. They were a stunning shade of amber, the kind that he only saw in wolves when he was a child. He managed to rasp out "yes" before a he heard another splash._

_The girl looked at the direction of the splash and returned her gaze to the man. She tugged on what remained of the chains clinging to her wrists. She approached the man and gently pressed her hand on the wound. The man gasped at the pain. The girl took her hand off and licked the remaining blood that clung on her fingers._

_The monster was now a few meters away from their location but the lack of light made it almost impossible to see. She faced the direction where she heard splashes of water originating from. She made her way to the location of the monster but then called out._

" _I expected a better price" she said licking her finger where the man's blood used to be "this body better be cared for after this"_

_The man managed to sit up to watch the girl. He wished he hadn't. The scene was so horrifying yet enticing he couldn't look away._

_The girl's hair came out of the sloppy pony tail it was in. Green light emanated from her skin. Her nails grew sharp and leaf-like tattoos materialized on her forearm. She tossed him a feral grin. He noticed incisors protruding from her lips. The white area of her eyes turned black and the pupils of her amber eyes turned into slits. She licked her lips before turning to face the opponent. She raised her tattooed arm and the clothing on her back ripped revealing black cloak-like wings._

_The man lost consciousness before the attack began. When he came to, the walls were splattered with a thick coat of blood and the girl lay sleeping at his side being examined by a medic. He noticed that his wounds had been cured but a little bit sore from the earlier encounter._

_They placed the girl in the stretcher and into the chopper. He seated himself at her side the whole flight to Midgar. Once they reached headquarters, he was reluctant to leave her but he had to report his findings to the Head of the Turks._

_After reporting, he headed to the infirmary to see the girl. He was taken by surprise when he found her awake gazing at him innocently. Her eyes lacking the virulent luster he witnessed and her forearm was cleared of all markings. He smiled a little and was glad that returned the girl returned it with enthusiasm._

" _Thank you for saving me" the man said solemnly_

_The girl cocked her head and gave him a confused look._

" _I did?" the girl asked, her brows furrowing_

_This yet again surprised the man. He wondered whether the girl was being humble or playing dumb._

" _Yes you did" he replied "if you didn't come; I wouldn't be able to make it back here"_

_The girl continued to give him a confused look, it spoke in all honesty that she didn't know what he was talking about._

" _If you say so" the girl said shrugging_

_The man continued to visit the girl during his free time. He told her about his job and the probabilities of her being sent to the laboratories. She asked why she could be sent to the lab. He couldn't tell her the real reason. He only told her about being found in the cave and they needed to conduct several tests to ensure her health. He asked her if she was scared and she told him that she wasn't really scared. It was more like she was anxious of what they would do to her._

_The man was away on a mission when she was sent to the lab. Unfortunately, they couldn't conduct a thorough test without the presence of the head of their department who was currently in Nibelheim. Instead, they did the usual physical exams they administered to all Shinra employees._

_When the man came back from his assignment, he was relieved that they couldn't conduct a thorough assessment. He refused to give the girl a reason for his relief. Alas, his relief was short-lived since the girl had to be transferred to Nibelheim to continue her examination. He spent the remaining time he had with her before she was sent off and before he was summoned for his next task._

_Three years passed before they saw each other again. He had been appointed second in command in his department and assigned to escort the President and his son to Nibelheim._

_Getting out of the chopper, they were greeted one of the scientists and led into one of the containment cells. There he saw the girl calmly lying on one of the examination tables being prodded by the head scientist. The girl spotted him and tried to give a smile except it came out in a grimace since a syringe was jabbed on of her arms._

_The President and the scientist left them to talk about important matters while his son explored the place. He asked her how she was since she was looking a bit pale. She smiled and replied that she was just tired. He gave her a small rectangular cardboard box with a red ribbon on it. He told her that it was a thank you gift for back then, even though she couldn't remember. She smiled at him gratefully and gave him a hug, then proceeded to open the bow._

_Inside the box were a PHS and a manual. He told her that she could call him if anything was bothering her and that he would text her back if he couldn't take her call. She gave him a big grin and started to tinker with the phone while scanning the manual when she got confused. He watched her, amused that she could take so much pleasure from the phone. He told her that his number was already on the speed dial._

_After a few minutes of watching her, he excused himself since he had to look for the President's son incase he might be in trouble. He ruffled her hair and left her, silently promising to get her another gift when he returned._

_He walked around the premises for around an hour before spotting his charge. The boy's blond hair was slightly ruffled. He noted that his charge came from the direction of the labs. He gave the boy a stern look and the boy shrugged it off. They met up with the President and boarded the chopper._

Tseng was snapped out of his thoughts when he heard a knock on the door. It opened to reveal Elena. She smiled as she walked through the door to collect his plate. She gave him a stern look for not finishing his meal. He looked at her apologetically and she left. He leaned back on his chair and grabbed his phone to check up on Ophelie. He waited anxiously for her to pick up but after the tenth try he grew worried. It was unlike her not to answer her phone. She always kept it close to her even in the midst of fighting she would pick up and give clipped answers.

He sighed. He surmised that she was probably in the shower. He knew how long she took her showers since she was placed in his care to be trained as one of the Turks and take on the role as Rufus' unknown bodyguard. He resigned himself to the bed with thoughts of calling her in the morning and leaving Healin to check up on her if she didn't answer again.

Morning came almost immediately for the leader of the Turks. As soon as the light coming from the window has touched his face, he got up, took a shower and got dressed. He tried calling Ophelie again and after a few tries he grew worried. He went to the kitchen to meet his colleagues.

He was greeted with silence when he stepped into the kitchen. They were all waiting for him at the table. He didn't realize that he was so tense till he saw Elena give him a worried look. He composed himself then sat on one of the chairs. Elena offered him some food and a cup of coffee. He thanked her and began to eat in a steady pace. He then waited for the table to be cleared before briefing them on their mission.

"Reno, I want you and Rude to continue researching about anything you can find regarding geostigma" he ordered then faced Elena

"Elena, I need you stay here and watch over the President while we're gone"

"Where ya goin' boss-man?" Reno asked

"Ophelie hasn't been answering her phone" he replied gravely "I'll be checking if anything happened to her"

He then got up and checked on Rufus before heading out the door. His charge was still asleep due to the effects of the sedative. He got in the car and drove to the outskirts of Midgar. Once he arrived at Ophelie's place he was comforted when he spotted her bike and found that the door was locked. His comfort immediately turned into dread when the door refused to open after several knocks. He began banging at it when Ophelie continued not to answer.

He broke down the door and took out his gun. Ophelie's place was small. It consisted only of a small living room, an equally small kitchen, a bathroom and a bedroom. He stealthily checked the perimeter before proceeding to the bedroom. He pressed himself against the door to listen for anything unusual. An eerie silence greeted him. Though he saw no signs of the door being forced, he grew worried. He took a few calming breaths, turned the knob slowly before shooting it. He knew Ophelie would forgive him for that.

The room was devoid of the girl. Tseng cautious stepped into the room. Everything looked normal aside from the rumpled sheets and the papers scattered on the mattress. He tool note of the missing boots as he searched the area for any signs of struggle. When he found none, he sighed and glanced at the papers on the bed. They were copies of the files she handed him the a few days ago. The picture depicting the creature was in black and white due to being photocopied.

He gathered the papers and pulled one of the boxes under the bed. He knew that Ophelie hid most of the things that she treasured there. He wasn't surprised to find other things from that box that he didn't give her.

When Ophelie arrived at Shinra, she had gotten the attention of a few staff members and Soldiers due to her shy yet bubbly demeanor. Zack Fair was one of the Soldiers that had taken a liking to the secret Turk in training. Though in the end, he had fallen for the Aerith the flower girl.

Though Ophelie turned them down politely, she still received the occasional Valentine's Day cards and heart-shaped box of chocolates. She gave some of her chocolates to Tseng and the other Turks, and surprisingly to Rufus. When she befriended Sephiroth, Genesis and Angeal, she also gave them some of her chocolates. She always said that she wouldn't be able to finish them all before they go bad.

He rummaged through the container and found a velvet box that could have been the bearer of something dear. Moved a few greeting cards and at the bottom he spotted the box that used to contain the PHS he gave her all those years ago. It now housed the scarlet ribbon that was used to tie the box and plushies that Zack and the other Soldiers had given her. He noticed that the bottom of the box was a fake. He removed all the items in the box and placed them on the bed. He detached the fake bottom and found another gift he had given her, a journal.

He flipped through a random page and read.

"14 February

I have to find another box to place all those gifts. I'm flattered that people like me but it's kind of difficult carrying all those stuff. Have to visit Tseng again to get rid of the chocolates. Good thing that he and I train together, else we would probably be weighing a ton by now. Anyway, I got a really cool gift from HIM. Yes HIM! I mean I'm nothing special but come on! He took me out to lunch, even thought I think it wasn't really a date but who cares?! Then he gave me this cool gift. It was a pocket watch. Well, not exactly. It was sort of a smaller version of a pocket watch and I could wear it around my neck. He said he wanted to give me something as a token of his appreciation…"

Tseng stopped reading and chuckled. Even though Ophelie was missing, she still found a way to comfort him. He closed the journal since he found out she didn't really write anything related to work. Everything in the notebook contained her personal experiences with her job and people she related to. He arranged everything back in order and left her house. He was going to send someone to fix her door later. His expression turned serious when he entered his car. He flipped his phone and called Reno. One ring. Two rings. Reno picked up.

" **Reno here** " the redhead answered

"Reno, we have a situation" Tseng replied in a somber tone "Ophelie's missing"

" **Understood Sir** " the redhead said " **Your orders?** "

"Rendezvous at Healin in 1300" their leader ordered as he revved the car's engine


	7. Twins

Purging the Pain

Chapter 7: Twins

Disclaimer: Do not own FF7 or HP. Just thought that Draco and Rufus are so alike. Read and review. If you want to see something interesting, send your suggestions together with your reviews. Rated M just to be same. I don't know if the action scenes will turn out gory.

Two redheads were hiding behind one of the suit of armors lining the walls of the corridor. Both poked their heads out to observe the two figures that had emerged from the classroom. They both turned to each other. Both face sprouting equally sly grins.

"Hey Freddie" said one of the redheads

"Yes Georgie?" replied the other redhead

"You're seeing what I'm seeing?" asked George grinning

"Yep" replied Fred, his sly grin growing bigger at the moment

They followed the couple through the hallway, ducking at times when they thought that the pair was looking in their direction.

"I think that this is the first time-" George began

"-that a Gryffindor-" replied Fred

"-and a Slytherin-" said George

"-were together-" said Fred

"Without trying to hex each other" they said while continuing to watch the pair as they walked to their next class which was outside the castle. They hid in one of the pillars since there weren't anymore suits of armor. They pressed themselves on the pillar when the two figures stopped. Though they couldn't see them, they caught snippets of their conversation.

"Sir, are you alright?" the girl asked. Her voice tinted with concern

The twins chanced a peek from their hiding spot. The blond boy was slightly bent over, clutching his hand while the girl was gazing intently the blond, her hand resting at the middle of his back. This piqued the twins' interest since the blond wasn't one to show much weakness unless it was to garner attention from his peers or skip doing school work. However, they did notice the boy's lack of taunts to their fellow housemates these past few days, not to mention the enforced icy demeanor.

"I'm alright" the blond managed to gasp out but the girl was obviously not convinced. The boy gave her a strained smile and continued onward since the doors leading to their next class were a few meters away.

"Sir, with all due respect I think it would be best if-" they girl was cut off when the blond doubled over. She was immediately on his side supporting him to prevent him from falling.

The boy was taking shallow breaths and sweat started to form on his neck. His face started to flush as the spasms raked across his arms towards his chest. He bit his lower lip to stifle a cry. He was clutching his hand and didn't notice the pair of redhead moving towards their direction. His attention was focused on the worried face whose arms were trying to support him.

The girl was staring to panic. The last time she had to deal with such a situation was…she shook her head and focused on the boy in her arms. She moved to sling his arm around her neck and grip his waist. Unfortunately, the pain was too much for the boy and he passed out. Being the heavier and taller of the two, the girl was dragged down and they lay sprawled on the floor. She untangled herself and looked to see if there were any people around to help her. She spotted the twins and called out.

"Hey!" she yelled and they just stopped on their tracks unsure whether they should approach her or not.

Fred looked at George and found him staring back. They were both thinking along the lines of either helping the girl or leaving them alone. The girl approached them, perspiration lightly coating her forehead. She gave them a pleading look.

"Please" she begged "he just passed out and I can't carry him"

The two looked at each other and then back at the girl and the fallen student. They shrugged their shoulders and proceeded to take each of the boy's arms and sling it around their necks. They made their way to the infirmary.

"I guess even the ferret can have sick days" Fred commented

"Maybe he needs to have his annual vaccines" George chuckled

"Ferret?" the girl asked, averting her gaze from the figure on the bed

They both stared at the girl as Madam Pomfrey checked the boy for injuries but found none except for the bruise on his hand that seemed to be a little darker. She dismissed them saying that the boy was probably having relapses due to the accident.

"It's a long story Ophelie" said Fred.

They gave her evil grins as they slung their arms around her and led her out of the infirmary. Ophelie was a bit apprehensive about leaving the boy but she allowed herself to be led out. It was the least she could do for them.

"So Ophelie" George asked smirking. Ophelie tensed when she heard the tone the twin was using. She had heard it a lot of times from another redhead to know that it would ensure future interrogation, humiliation or a pure agonizing hour spent in trying to get her in revealing clothing. She didn't even know why Reno kept trying. She didn't even have the same body structure as the barmaid he kept ogling. The first time she had worn a dress was because she lost a bet to a certain blond Vice President that she would keep him company if the annual Shinra executive party. She was just grateful that he didn't make her wear a dress that showed off too much skin. She shook her head at the though and followed. She schooled her features and waited.

"We saw you getting cozy with Malfoy" Fred continued

"Care to tell us why?" George asked "'cause as you've seen, we have a few rivalries going on about here"

Calm left and gave a high five to Frustration on his way out as the latter clocked in early.

Ophelie looked squeamish before replying "I have no idea what you are talking about"

The twins each raised an eyebrow. _A bit defensive aren't we_. They both continued stare at Ophelie till she grew uncomfortable. She pushed their arms off her shoulder and let out a steady breath to calm her.

"Look, I'm thankful for your help, but I'm" she a little bit strained then paused "just an acquaintance of Ru…Malfoy" she slipped, the stress getting to her

Her slip up didn't go unnoticed by the twins and they urged her to continue "Are you sure you're 'just an acquaintance'?" they smirked

"Yes" she replied, though it came at more harshly than she expected. _He wouldn't think that way of me once he found out._ She thought sadly as she unconsciously reached touch her chest, feeling the small pocket watch that hung underneath her robes.

"Aww. Cheer up" Fred said, once again slinging an arm around her shoulder

"Even if the ferret does bite doesn't mean he isn't cuddly" George added before grimacing. _A cuddly Malfoy, not exactly the mental picture I wanted._ His twin thinking the same thing.

"How exactly did you 'get acquainted'?" persisted Fred

Ophelie smiled fondly at the memory "I met him a few years back" she paused "I was introduced to him by my caretaker to help him with his work" _Not a lie_

Ophelie gave a small smile and bid them good day as she walked to her next class. Unknown to her, the twins were already scheming on playing matchmaker even though they still didn't think that the ferret deserved her. They were making their way to the dorms till one of them was struck by an idea.

Fred halted when they were in front of the portrait leading to the common room and faced George "Hey George." he smirked "Want to test out our new product?"

George catching on gave a similar smirk "Oh! You mean the-"

"-yes. Definitely that one" Fred cut him off before saying the password that would open the door.

"But on who are we gonna test it on?" George asked, plopping down on one couches.

"I was thinking about giving it a go on our newest…project" Fred grinned mischievously

"Ophelie and the ferret?" George asked and Fred nodded

"But wouldn't it scare her and-" George began

"-send her into the ferret's arms?" Fred finished

"I was going to say 'and would cause her to beat the stuffing out of us' but I guess that works too" George replied, smirking at his brother's plan

"Now the question is where?" Fred thought

"Library? She mentioned it back in the classroom" George offered

"Brilliant!" Fred exclaimed "now we just have to wait for the ferret wake from his beauty sleep". He congratulated his brother. They spent the next few hours perfecting their plan and making back-up plans incase the outcome wasn't to their liking. Fortune was smiling on them.

Ophelie, on the other hand, had just arrived at their next class, Herbology. It wasn't that she wasn't good with plants. She just had little exposure since she had been brought to Shinra by Tseng and had undergone tests in Nibelheim then proceeded to be trained under the orders of Verdot.

She was mechanically taking down notes with a quill she borrowed from Hermione. Her years spent as Rufus' assistant getting back on her. The academician, on the other hand was currently re-potting a strange looking plant. While the professor was currently observing other students, she nodded in their direction, indicating that they were doing well.

Hermione smiled at her, pleased that an 'exchange student' was taking interest in her work. Ophelie offered a less enthusiastic smile. Her thoughts had strayed to the blond that was currently at the infirmary. She was roused from her thoughts when she felt a hand on her shoulder.

"Everything alright?" Hermione asked

Ophelie realized that she stopped taking down notes. Usually she would be able to pick up certain points when people are speaking but she was really out of it. She nodded and continued to sketch the plant. Hermione finished patting the soil in the pot then faced the brunette.

"What happened?" she asked solemnly "I saw Malfoy stay so I'm guessing you talked to him"

Ophelie slightly flinched at her statement. She sighed then replied "Nothing happened".

Hermione gave her a sincere smile "It's alright. I won't tell. I swear."

Ophelie bit her lip then replied "It's not what he did" she paused looking a bit forlorn "it's more of what I didn't do" she muttered

Hermione gave her a questioning look then asked "How exactly do you know Malfoy? I saw you staring at him at breakfast and before Potions"

Ophelie twirled the quill she borrowed. She instructed her features to the calm façade that Tseng ingrained during her training "I met him few years back. We were introduced by my caretaker" she replied, making sure to stick to the story she had given the twins earlier.

Hermione didn't notice the change in her tone and continued to pry. She wouldn't tell Harry and Ron unless it was really necessary. She really was fond Ophelie. Her demeanor was easy to like.

"Is there something wrong with him? You looked worried" Hermione persisted, staring intently at the amber-eyed girl. Ophelie didn't meet her gaze and fiddled with the quill then handing it to Hermione.

"It's not exactly my place to say" Ophelie muttered. She began assisting Hermione with her things.

The professor dismissed them and they headed back to the castle, Ophelie joining Hermione and her friends. They began asking her questions pertaining to personal aspects in her life. The questions ranged from where she was born? Did she have any siblings? Where did she study before coming to Hogwarts?

She tried to stick as close as to the truth as possible since fabricating a story might cause her current stay at the school to be more complicated than it is already was. The last question she had a bit of trouble answering.

"I was taught at Shinra" _Not a lie_ "My caretaker was an employee there so it was decided that he would handle my training" _He volunteered to do it anyway whether they like it or not_

"I've never heard of it" Hermione replied, her eyes glinting at the prospect of learning about a new school.

"He sent me here as a means of having a more" she paused "formal education since the training I received was bit different" _Not exactly a lie_ she reassured herself

They reached the steps of the castle and they were wondering who Ophelie would go with since Hermione had Ancient Runes while Harry and Ron had Divination.

"Why don't you take Divination first then Ancient Runes the next time?" Hermione suggested

Ron was grinning at the opportunity to be with the brunette. Harry elbowed him since he noticed that Ophelie looked a little bit displeased bit with his reaction. They said their goodbyes and promised to meet up later at the common room since they had different lunch times. They made their way to the Divination Tower and took their respective seats. A few minutes later a professor with large spectacles entered the classroom and started lecturing.

"You must open you Inner Eye" the professor tried to sound eerie. It wasn't working for Ophelie as she gave the crystal ball on the table a bored stare.

Harry nudged her as the professor approached their table to see their progress "Just make something up. Make it sound dreadful. She's into that." Harry said offering a smile Ophelie nodded as the professor and Harry encouraged her.

"I see" Ophelie began, her brows furrowed as a mist started to swirl within the crystal. She didn't find it unusual since the whole situation in the first place was unusual.

"…someone falling" the professor gestured her to continue.

She was sure she wasn't imagining things. She decided to play along. After all, what could happen? She squinted "…then there's…wings? I think" she shook her head as the image blurred

" _Pretty wings aren't they_ " a voice cheekily said

Ophelie flinched at the voice but hid it well. Hearing voices isn't exactly a sign of a healthy person. Sure, she had joined the Turks and they weren't exactly sane. But who would? Reno once mentioned that anyone would be insane to join but they all had their reasons.

"Nothing else dear?" the professor sounding a bit disappointed. She shook her head. She couldn't believe she was actually playing along. She noticed Harry's eyes had narrowed. She shrugged it off.

The professor started to make a prediction. Harry sighed. He knew the routine very well, being at the receiving end for almost three years now. Though the professor did make a prediction last year, he knew that she got her kicks in predicting people's deaths. He found it strange that Ophelie wasn't perturbed with the premonition. Instead, she was fiddling with the quill Hermione lent her.

Class was dismissed and they headed to the Great Hall for lunch. Ophelie poked at food in front of her. In other days, she would have eaten such delicacies with gusto. However, her thoughts were circling on a blond that was currently out of commission. She poked at the food again. It was pesto. She placed her fork down and sipped some pumpkin juice.

"You going to eat that?" Ron asked. She shook her head and pushed the plate towards the redhead.

"Thanks!" Ron replied and began eating the pesto.

She rested her head on her hand and watched the people around her. Her gaze drifted to the table filled with students in green robes. Her index finger twitched in apprehension. She wished that the day could end so that she could check up on Rufus

"Ophelie" Harry paused eating "You alright?"

"Hmm?" she replied

"You're kind of spacing out on us" Ron said spraying a little bit of food causing the other two to grimace

"I'm just tired I guess" she offered a smile that didn't meet her eyes.

"If you say so" Harry said, turning back to his potatoes. He'd save the cross-examination for later

They went back to the common room and settled on the couches. Ron brought out his chess set and began to play a few rounds with Harry. He then offered to play a game with Ophelie. She accepted.

An hour and a half later, Ronald Weasley, who's greatest pride was excelling in wizard's chess, was spitting nails at one Ophelie Marcia. Harry was chuckling at Ron's expense he was joined by other Gryffindors. In the midst of all, Ophelie was giving Ron an apologetic look.

"How are you so good at chess?!" Ron exclaimed

"My caretaker was fond of the game" She replied as she began arranging the pieces "he played with me when he had time" _Not a lie_ she thought to herself. They seemed innocent enough but as trained Turk she knew that two of them were catching on.

"I want a rematch!" Ron demanded as Hermione joined them. Ophelie smiled at her direction as she stood and offered her seat.

"I'm sorry Ron but I was…" she thought for a moment, whether she should ask direction for the library or visit Rufus at the infirmary. The former thought won out. "…going to ask Hermione if she could show me the library"

Hermione beamed at the opportunity to show someone at the library. However, both Harry and Ron groaned. The former thinking that they had another bookworm in their hands while the latter thinking that he had lost the opportunity to spend more time with the brunette.

They passed the twins, missing the mischievous looks they had. They entered the library and Hermione showed her the books that she enjoyed while Ophelie nodded accordingly as the History section caught her attention. The academician noticed this and smiled.

"You like History?" Hermione asked

"Not really" she replied "I'm just interested on how wizards were able to find ways to treat pandemics"

Hermione's interest was piqued _Does she have someone who's sick? I don't recall hearing an epidemic spreading_

"Well you could start with the Bubonic Plague or more commonly known as the Black Plague" she said offering a thick tome and quickly turning the pages to the desired chapter "They said that rats that travelled through the ports were the cause why the disease had spread. Aside from that, there were the sanitation problems they had which encouraged the extent of the affected area in Europe. They didn't know how to contain it. They tried preventing trade ships from entering the boarders but that just worsened their economy" she flipped to one of the chapters.

"The muggle books covered most of the story but not all" she handed her another book and flipped on a certain chapter "what they didn't cover was how it was eradicated. They thought that the disease just hadn't found another carrier and eventually died out. However, it was actually a descendant of Merlin named Alfons Heidrich who thought of injecting the cure on a few rats for it to be able to spread quickly. Unfortunately, documents pertaining to the cure are kept in the Ministry of Magic's archives."

Ophelie nodded between her explanations and scanned the pages. She focused on the illustration shown. It was similar to the cases of geostigma she heard from Tseng. She chewed her bottom lip. She thought that if she could gain access to the archives then she would be closer to finding a cure for 'Rufus'. After that, she could then figure out how to get back to Healin and cure his body.

"Thank you. Can I stay here and read a bit?" Ophelie asked

"Of course. I'll pick you up later for Defense Against the Dark Arts" Hermione scrunched her nose at the thought of the professor and left. She passed the twins on the hallway and gave a wave.

_A blond man gradually opened his eyes. He found himself standing in a field of flowers. He inspected his body and found that he had returned to his original one. He wandered around a bit till he saw a man in a Shinra issued uniform. The man spotted him and eagerly made his way to where he was standing._

" _Rufus Shinra?" the man asked_

" _Yes. And you are?" Rufus replied_

" _Not important" the man countered "hmm. She was right when she said you'd be popping here sometime. Anyway, moving on, this is the Lifestream's reception area" he continued as he waved his arms gesturing to the place_

_Rufus eyebrows rose "You mean I'm dead" dread lacing his voice_

" _Close but not exactly" the man jovially responded "You, buddy, have been touched by the Lifestream" he gestured at his hand_

_Rufus snorted "I knew that much" he spotted a figure a few meters away_

" _Who's that" he asked, inclining his head to the person with long hair_

_The man wave his hand in dismissal "Don't mind her. She just likes to pop in here when she's got nothing better to do. You, on the other hand, have to go now."_

" _What's the point of being here in the first place then?" Rufus haughtily countered_

" _Weeeeelllllll, she just said that you might pop up and I should meet ya before ya do anything stupid" the man replied_

" _So why-"_

" _You hav'ta go now. Your girlfriend is getting a bit angsty" the man cut him off, waving_

" _She's not my-" Rufus wasn't able to finish the sentence as he began to fall_

The blond woke and pushed himself to a sitting position. He looked around to confirm his suspicions. He was back at the infirmary and back at the boy's body. He sighed and made his way to the door but was stopped again by the mediwitch who gave him some salve for the bruise and refill of the potion for his headache.

The boy made his way through the corridor. He spotted the twins he saw talking to Ophelie during breakfast. He assumed that they knew where she was. He made his way over to them.

"Excuse me" Rufus asked flicking a stray hair "Do you perchance know where Ms. Marcia is?" he automatically reverted to formalities when in company of those who didn't know his relationship with her. She _is_ supposed to be his secret Turk.

The twins stared at his formality since they were used to seeing him being so demanding. They both held back smirks as they thought about the plan that was going so smoothly.

"Well, we saw her at the library. Didn't we Georgie" said Fred, fighting a smirk

"Oh yeah Freddie! Poor thing fallen asleep reading books" said George biting down his lip

Rufus stared suspiciously at the two redheads. They seemed too much like Reno who had been given a pound of C4. Dismissing the thought, he thanked them and headed to the library. He was fortunate enough to be briefed by the Snape a few days back. Unfortunately, he didn't notice the twins following him.

He spotted her sleeping on one of the desks placed near the end of the bookshelves. He approached her and brushed a few strands of hair from her face. She twitched a little before bolting up and grabbing his wrist. He chuckled as she focused on her surroundings. He knew that she wouldn't really hurt him. Regrettably, she recognized his voice on his _other_ body. Caught off guard, he found himself firmly pressed on the desk and his arm twisted on his back.

"Ophelie!" he struggled for breath as she pinned him down on the desk, her weight aggravating his former injuries. She was immediately roused and apologized profusely.

"I'm sorry Ru-" she was cut off when Rufus secured a hand to cover her mouth and gestured to the librarian. She nodded and he slowly took off his hand.

"I see you have some admirers" he gestured to the small box "it seems that your charm never fails"

She made a face and retorted "Says the guy who has his own fan club" pointing to the group of girls that appeared to be a year lower than theirs. He threw them a glare and the shuffled away.

"Aren't you going to open it?" he pointed to the box beside the books that she was reading.

She sighed and started pulling at the ribbon that held the lid. "You know I really have to work on my-" she was cut off when smoke started to emit from the box. Acting on instinct, she immediately threw the box and pulled out her gun since the library was almost empty aside from the librarian who wasn't paying them any attention.

"-PR" she finished as she placed herself between Rufus and the box

What appeared before them when the smoke dissipated, stunned them.


	8. Files

Purging the Pain

Chapter 8: Files

Disclaimer: Do not own FF7 or HP. Just thought that Draco and Rufus are so alike. Read and review because I'll always respond! If you want to see something interesting, send your suggestions together with your reviews. Rated M just to be safe. I don't know if the action scenes will turn out gory or the 'romance' scenes will progress from fluffy to more serious.

Tseng parked his car in the garage and turned off the engine. He quickly made his way to the President's room. Opening the door, relief flooded through him when he saw the man awake and reading a few documents. The man continued to read as Tseng settled himself on the chair beside the bed. The man paused and rested his eyes on Tseng.

"The girl" the man paused and thought for a moment "Ms. Elena, brought me these files to read. She said it might help jog my memory a bit." he snorted

Tseng felt the corners of his mouth lift "I did tell them that you were sort of mentally unstable"

The man made a face "I don't know why she tries" he sighed "If you told them the real reason, they'd obviously panic. If you give them a fake reason, they still panic. And there's these files!" he waved the papers around and pointed to the stack on the bedside table "she actually expected me to go through them before the end of the day! What kind of person is this 'Rufus'?!"

"Rufus Shinra" Tseng began solemnly and walked towards the window "was…is the President of the largest corporation in the world" he faced the man on the bed "which supplied everybody with electricity. You could say he practically owned the world. He was Vice President at the age of fifteen and made decisions that were beneficial to the company"

The man on the bed gaped at him. He could offer no other reaction. Though he was physically a twenty something year old man, he had the mental capacity of a fifteen year old. To him, life was good and everybody was waiting on him hand and foot, ready give him anything he desired.

"Those papers" Tseng gestured to the files "are only a fraction of what he accomplishes for the day"

The man look thoughtful for a moment "But I don't even understand half the things these reports say!" the man retorted "First, there's this Sephiroth bloke that disappeared a few years then everybody thought he was dead. Then there are a few test subjects that escaped and you send a whole army after them. After that, Sephiroth appears and slaughters your company's President, then dies _again_ in a place called Northern Crater holding on to his mommy dearest" the man winded kept on going, ignoring the hardened features of Tseng "And finally, some monsters you call Weapon attack places before Meteor hits the planet. Have I got it correct so far?"

Tseng's face saddened at the mention of the two test subjects. He was well acquainted with one of them. It's unfortunate that the one that despised his guts was the one alive today, a living reminder of his failure. He nodded when the man finished his rant and sat back down beside him.

"Yes. That seems to sum it up" Tseng said

"So what are you going to do now?" the man inquired

Tseng stiffened and checked the time. There was a few more minutes before Reno and Rude arrive "Ophelie seems to have gone missing. We'll plan a search party then if nothing turns up, she'll be condoned until it is deemed necessary for her assistance" Tseng replied though a bit strained. He had been the one who had trained her after all. For her to have disappeared without any traces to where she could've gone was unsettling.

The boy being hosted in Rufus' body nodded at his explanation. "But what about this…thing" he gestured to his hand "I'm too young to die even though this body isn't"

Tseng threw him a nasty glare which made the boy shrink back "I assure you. We are doing everything we can and we are more concerned with the body that is currently being occupied by an outsider who under appreciates everything that we've done" he said icily

The man flinched at the tone "I'm sorry" he apologized "I just haven't been in such a situation before" _There's only so much a guy could take: waking up in a different body, knowing you're going to die sooner than you think and my favorite so far, meeting a pink bow, dress-wearing giggly girl standing in a field of flowers. Merlin can't it all end?! Though the last one was quite pleasant._ He shook his head as he ranted in his thoughts.

Tseng moved towards the door "You should be. Rufus was handling death threats since the day he was able to pick up a pen and sign his name" he replied

The silence thickened between them. The man, swallowing his pride spoke "Then teach me"

Tseng looked back and scrutinized the man "I beg your pardon?"

"I said teach me" the man insisted

"Teach you what, exactly?" Tseng was internally smirking. _If only this was the real Rufus_. He thought

The man gave a frustrated sigh "Teach me to defend myself. I can't use magic-"

"-yes you can" Tseng cut him off and the man dismissed his statement

"Not my kind of magic. You could teach me that" the man persisted

Tseng sighed "Maybe I should offer you Rufus' weapon. Though it's easier to handle than materia, it still requires a lot of effort to learn"

The man nodded eagerly at his suggestion "What's his weapon anyway?"

Tseng moved towards the bed and reached underneath. He pulled out a metal casing and laid it on the space on the bed that was unoccupied. He unlocked the case and inside was a customized shotgun complete with shells lining the upper lid of the case. He made sure that it was unloaded before handing it to the man.

"It's a bit heavy" the Draco said, testing the weight of the gun. Though he never actually used one, he heard his father mention it once or twice, stating that it was inferior to their magic. He felt the weight of the weapon on his lap. Right now, he didn't feel that the weapon was inferior.

Tseng nodded "Rufus had learned to fire it with one arm. I'm actually surprised that he didn't dislocate his shoulder" he smirked at the man's reaction

"You mean he could actually lift this thing with one arm and fire it?!" the man gaped. Tseng gave him a chuckle as a response.

"After I send the others on a search party" he smiled gently at the man "I'll train you to use it" _More like retrain you since they say that the body has some sort of muscle memory. I hope Rufus is doing well_

The man smiled gratefully and offered the gun back. Tseng shook his head and replied "Keep it. I need you to get a good feel of it before we proceed"

They were interrupted by a sound of a car engine followed shortly by a rap on the door. It opened to reveal Elena. Tseng nodded and she approached them.

"Tseng, Reno and Rude have returned" she offered a smile to 'Rufus' "Everything alright sir?" she asked, unfazed by the sight of the weapon

Draco flushed and managed to squeak "Yes" before turning away. Tseng dismissed her and turned back to the figure on the bed.

"I see you have gotten to know Elena" he smirked but then frowned "However, I advise you not to pursue the matter. You are not Rufus and this would further complicate the situation." _Besides, it's obvious to everyone that there're already some people who laid claims on both blonds_

Draco hung his head in agreement "I understand. It's just that she's been so kind to me" he replied "I didn't catch your name, by the way"

Tseng stood and made his way to the door. "Tseng" He paused "It's not you whose she's kind to. Remember that"

Draco bit his lip. He already knew that. Heck, the body he was occupying knew that. He tried to 'accidentally' brush hands with the blond a few hours ago and his hand wouldn't even move. He just wished it wasn't the case, but that was wistful thinking. He placed the gun back in the case, then turned back to the papers scattered on the mattress, eager to prove his worth to this Tseng person.

Tseng gathered them in the kitchen as Elena served them a late lunch. He thanked her and ate the meal in a steady pace. It was a silent affair. Reno was looking at him since his features seemed a bit strained. Tseng ignored him and continued to eat. He drank the beverage offered and waited for them to finish. When the table was cleared, he began the briefing.

"Reno, I trust that you have informed them about the situation?" Tseng inquired

"Er…only Rude" Reno replied sheepishly

Tseng sighed then turned serious "Ophelie is missing. I've tried calling her a few times but she isn't picking up. When I reached her place, there weren't any signs of a struggle so I assume she left in her own accord" he paused, thinking whether he should inform them about Ophelie other situation or not. They all leaned forward in anticipation.

"Elena" he turned to her "I need you to retrieve the files in my desk drawer" he faced Reno and Rude "There is something you need to know before we start looking for her"

Elena arrived later with a few files. She handed them to Tseng who gave them to his second-in-command. He patiently waited for the outburst that was sure to come after reading. His expectations were thwarted as Reno skimmed the first few pages then merely passed them to Rude and Elena. The redhead Turk focused his attention to him as they waited for the two to finish reading, all traces of humor gone.

It was the blond Turk who broke the silence "Sir? I'm not sure if I follow you. The excerpt states that Ophelie Marcia was found in a cave in Mideel and" she paused as she rephrased the words she read "she's immune to the effects of mako due to being naturally…enhanced"

Tseng gave her a nod and looked at the others "I'm actually surprised that Reno isn't reacting as I had expected"

Reno shrugged "I already hacked the information before. It was just…a bit hard to swallow. 'Sides, there wasn't a picture before so I didn't really know if it was her" he waved his hand in a comical fashion "moving on; I guess that clears up everything strange that kept happening to her back when she was the VP's PA"

Tseng gave him a nod of approval, though his inquisitive nature wanted to ask about those events, he pushed them to the back of his mind. He was just pleased that Reno was being mature about the situation "And you Rude? Elena?"

Rude, stoic as ever, responded "Ophelie is still Ophelie."

"She always did do her best to help Rufus even at the price of her health" Elena replied thoughtfully as she handed the files back to Tseng.

"Now that her…affiliation with the company has been explained" his voice turning somewhat parental "I want you three to look for her. Report back here in three days, thought I expect updates every twelve hours or so. I don't need anymore Turks disappearing" he stood to return to his room but was stopped by Rude's question.

"Anymore Turks, sir?" Rude inquired

Elena and Reno, catching on "Wait…I thought that Ophelie was just Rufus' assistant and sort of nanny" the blond said as the redhead stifled a chuckle

Tseng flinched at his slip up but at least he didn't have to worry about Ophelie's request to tell them her situation. He sighed _Sometimes I wished that they weren't so perceptive, but that would make them ineffective operatives_

"Your hypothesis is correct" he faced them "Not only is Ophelie Rufus' assistant but she is also the anonymous Turk guarding him ever since he was appointed Vice President"

Reno gaped "You mean to say I could've ditched the brat all those years ago and ya didn't even bother to tell me?!"

Tseng chuckled "Yes. In a way, but the President back then didn't know about Ophelie's rank in the Turks even if he was the one who suggested that she should be trained a little as Rufus' assistant as well as bodyguard. He clearly didn't want her to outshine Soldier" he said though his thoughts screamed _more like he didn't want_ _Sephiroth to get outshined, chauvinist._

"Well then" Reno said, pushing his chair back "Let's get a move on. Don't want the Pres worryin' 'bout his girlfriend" he snickered

"Reno!" they as said in an exasperated tone

"What?!" the redhead exclaimed "Don't tell me ya didn't notice anythin'?"

"We did" Elena snorted "Who could've missed the 'business lunches'" she air quoted

"Or the chocolates" Reno piped

"But she gave us all chocolates" Tseng said a bit confused. This was shocking because the Turk leader did not get confused.

 _How much did I miss when she was growing up? Well, mentally at least._ The girl didn't look past the age of fifteen or so, it must be the result of being naturally enhanced. Between the training and the missions, he hardly spent time with her anymore. A few chess games during lunch break, other than that, none at all. He did read her journal and the entry did seem a bit affectionate but he didn't think that it would've been directed at their superior.

"Yeah she did" Reno said smugly "but did ya notice the box?" he grinned

"Reno…she didn't" Elena said, looking a bit aghast

"She did!" Reno shot back before laughing

"But she told me they were for Tseng!...no offense sir" she added sheepishly then turned to Reno "She told me we would share the next box that she gets!" she sniffed

"That's the point" the redhead said that made the blond and the rest look at him in question. He sighed "She said 'the next box she gets'" they urged him to continue "But didn't 'get' it" he air quoted

"Meaning?" asked Elena

Reno sighed. _Blonds. I guess Rufus is the only exemption to the rule_ "It means she _bought_ it" he said emphasizing the word while grinning

Elena gaped "But that must've cost her a fortune!" then added as an after thought "no wonder she didn't go shopping with me for at least three months"

Tseng looked from the blond to the redhead "I'm not sure if I follow" he said "What is 'it' exactly?"

Reno grinned "Costa Del Sol's _Bite of Heaven_ "

Both Tseng's eyebrows rose. _Bite of Heaven_ was a luxury good. The box alone costs 4500 gil. The interior was padded with insulating materials and a metal casing that was filled with liquid nitrogen to ensure that the goods would stay chilled and fresh. Then there was the exterior of the box was an image of an angel stitched in gold thread and the locking mechanism that resembled feathers that have fallen from the creature.

The chocolates themselves cost 5500 gil. Each of the pieces resembled a certain seashell, no two shells looked alike. They were like snow flakes and each had a different flavor. That was a total of 10000 gil without the transportation costs, import tax and withholding tax at the port. That amounted to 15000 gil, more or less. He was fortunate to acquire a box at 40% off when he was sent in a reconnaissance mission, but that was still a bit stiff is his wallet.

Due to the high temperature of the area, made it impossible solidify them. However, the terrain was fertile and could sustain cocoa. Thus leading to the factory situated there to become Shinra incorporated. He surmised that they probably were supplied with ice material to make the chocolates.

Rude decided he had met his silence criteria and spoke "There was also the pocket watch"

Tseng looked at him and reiterated "Pocket watch?"

"I saw her open a velvet box on Valentine's Day a few years back" Rude said, confirming Tseng's suspicions "It had the Shinra logo at the back"

Tseng pulled out a pocket watch from his jacket. However, it had a bullet dent on the cover "You mean like this?" he turned the watch and showed them the logo

"Isn't that the rumored pocket watch that only the members of Shinra's inner circle have?" the blond Turk asked

Tseng nodded in confirmation. _If she has one then she must be closer to Rufus than expected_ he thought but was interrupted by Reno

"Well lookit at that" Reno whistled "Titanium-exterior, mithril-enforced, platinum-lined and the chain is made up of fifteen different alloys woven together, not to mention it's kinetic"

Tseng gave the redhead a stern look "I don't even want to know how you came across that information"

The redhead smirked "Good. It's a trade secret"

"It was smaller" Rude pointed out

"Come again?" Tseng asked facing Rude

"The watch" Rude replied "It was smaller"

The Head of the Turks pursed his lips in deep thought _Only Shinra family members have customized watches_ he felt a migraine coming along and pinched the bridge of his nose _I didn't think she'd be anything more to him than a loyal companion_

"Sir? Anything wrong?" asked Elena, worry etching her features

Tseng sighed "Nothing. Don't you lot have a mission?" he replied, taking the calm cool portico he had perfected even though he was starting to feel the dread creep in.

"Sir!" the stood straight in reply

Tseng nodded and they took their leave. The dread came back in full force when they left and he felt like slamming his head on the table. _Ophelie, being this close to Rufus places him in both a risky situation and a potential security net_ He thought

He went to his bedroom and placed the files back in his drawer. He then made his way to 'Rufus' quarters. He was surprised to find the man going through the stack of papers. He cleared his throat to rouse the man.

"Oh…you're back" the man looked up from the papers

Tseng nodded "I was thinking that we should start your training since the others have already left. Are you feeling up to it?" he asked

The man rearranged the files then proceeded to stand. He stumbled a bit but caught himself. He smirked at Tseng when he saw the curious gaze "I was practicing when Ms. Elena wasn't around"

"Good to know you're as stubborn as him" Tseng replied "Just don't force yourself too much. You don't want to strain that body" he then took out the metal casing and led the man to the backyard. He pointed to one of the benches and told him to take a seat while he arranged the targets.

Tseng finished pinning the last bull's eye sheet to the tree and beckoned the man to come forward. He then handed him the loaded shotgun and fixed his poise as not to strain his body any further.

"Put your left foot forward and your right one at the back" Tseng instructed and Draco complied "That way the backlash wouldn't throw off your balance" he explained

"Now aim it at one of the targets and use both hands" he said as the man attempted to raise it using one arm, then adjusted the man's aim "Remember Mr. Malfoy: BRASS"

"You can call me Draco" the man replied then gave a confused look "brass?"

"It means breath, relax, aim, slack, squeeze" Tseng sighed as the blond looked more confused. _And here I thought that blond wasn't a sickness_ he chuckled at the thought _Good thing this isn't the real Rufus else he would've shot me_

"First you hold your breathe to ensure that your hand wouldn't move. After that, you relax because tension causes your hand to quiver" Tseng demonstrated by taking out his gun "once you relax, take aim" he then pointed his gun on one of the targets "you slack your hand, prepare to pull the trigger and expect the backlash" though his slack in the hand wasn't noticeable "then squeeze"

The bullet found its mark at the center of the bull's eye. Tseng turned to the blond "Now you try"

Draco took the stance that the man instructed, slightly stunned by the man's accuracy. He did as the man shown and took a deep breath, held it for awhile, then fired. The bullet chipped the outer most circle part of the target. He lost his footing for a moment but Tseng caught him. He gave the man a sheepish look which the man returned with an almost gentle smile.

"It's not bad for your first try" Tseng said as he helped Draco regain his footing "Ophelie only managed to chip the corner of the paper at her first attempt"

Draco nodded and began to do the routine again. He again took aim and fired. The result was better. It was now an inch closer to the second outer circle. He turned to face the man and threw him a grin. Tseng nodded for him to continue.

He fired again and the bullet embedded itself to the right of the first shot he took, completely out of the circle. He tried again but the result was worse. He fired a few more shots till he felt a hand on his shoulder. He looked and found the man staring at him intently.

"That's enough for today" he took the gun from his grasp "you're looking a bit flushed. You don't want a repeat of yesterday, do you?" it was a rhetorical question. Draco hung his head in embarrassment.

Tseng sighed and placed the gun back in its case. They went back inside and Tseng began to prepare dinner. Draco, on the other hand, went back to his room to continue reading the documents. He had a few details he wanted to clarify with Tseng.

It wasn't that he found it unusual for this Sephiroth person to come back to life. He heard from his father that the Dark Lord, who everybody thought was dead, is in fact very much alive. He just wondered how since there was obviously a difference between the magic here and the one they used back home.

He continued to read. He began to understand that this Sephiroth person is connected to the escaped subjects through what some project a professor called the "Reunion Theory". His thoughts were interrupted by a knock as his marksmanship instructor stepped in.

"Dinner will be ready in a few minutes" Tseng stated "I suppose you'd like to eat in the dinning area since you've been bed ridden for a few months now"

Draco nodded "Yeah. I'll join you in a few minutes" he flicked a stray bang and continued reading "just like to finish up a bit"

Tseng gave a curt nod and left for the kitchen. _No wonder he ended up in Rufus' body. They are very much alike._ He thought

Tseng was setting the table when Draco stepped into the kitchen. He returned to the stove as the man took a seat. He observed that Draco had the same antics as Rufus, from the hair flicking, to the sarcasm but lacking in the air of authority that the Shinra heir flourished around like his white coat.

The Turk leader set the dish down in front of the man and went back to the sink to grab a few cups and filled them with hot water. He then rummaged the cabinets for the box of exotic tea he picked up from one of his travels. He placed a spoon full on each cup then handed one to Draco.

Draco forced his face into a look of indifference, though inwardly, he was euphoric. It was the best tea he'd tasted in a while. He glanced down at the cup and inhaled the aroma. It smelled strongly of cinnamon. He knew that there were a few more ingredients thrown in but he couldn't identify them. He carefully set the cup down and began to pick at the food.

He started with the dish that looked like stir fried vegetables and meat but with a little bit more sauce. He pierced something that was light green in color. It tasted a bit bland but the sauce made up for it. He paused for a while and noticed that the long haired brunette watching him.

Draco gave smug grin "I know that I'm good looking, well this body is anyway, but I fancy the gentler sex" he said then flicked a strand of hair

Tseng raised an eyebrow "Don't flatter yourself" he retorted "unlike you, I don't need to emphasize my orientation due to certain...insecurities" he internally smirked and to a sip of his tea

The blond look affronted "Are you implying that I'm gay?"

"I said no such thing. You're the one who brought it up" Tseng replied with indifference and continued eating. "By the way, you didn't deny it either" he smirked

Draco made a face but suddenly turned serious "Tseng" his tone caught the man's attention and he placed his utensils down

"Yes Mr. Draco" he replied in a solemn tone

"You can drop the mister, anyway, while I was browsing through the files" Draco began "something caught my attention" the man nodded for him to continue "This person, Sephiroth, he came back twice now didn't he?" the man nodded "I was wondering if there could be a third time? They do say third times the charm"

Tseng's jaw hardened "Probably" replied before sipping his tea "Are you suggesting that we conduct an investigation?" he inquired

"Depends" Draco flicked a hair "You got anything better to do?"

"Duly noted" he paused "I shall inform them of your _orders_ when I receive the final transmission from my operatives" he said, stressing the word 'orders'

They continued to eat in silence. Well, it was more like Tseng continued to eat while Draco cautiously poked through his meals. Being unfamiliar with few ingredients, he took small bits into his mouth. The man across the table watched him in mild amusement as he poked and prodded the vegetables. He gave up and turned to his beverage.

"It's called chop suey" Tseng said breaking the silence

"Er…chap suy?" Draco asked

"tsap suịı" Tseng corrected "It's a Wutanian dish of small pieces of meat fried with vegetables, such as onions, chayote, cabbage, carrots, beans, and served with rice" he finished

"I'm not feeling up to it" Draco replied taking a sip of the tea "though this tea is wonderful, what's it made off? I can only catch a whiff off cinnamon but there's still the after taste of something"

Tseng smiled "It's the apple and raisins" he replied "I have an assortment of teas if you like to venture through them" _This is seems to be the difference that they have. Rufus couldn't tell what was in his tea, except when it was poisoned_ he thought back to the time when someone had the guts to pull an assassination in the building.

"Sure, might as well make myself at home if I don't know how long I'll be staying" Draco replied nonchalantly while pushing the plate away

"You should really eat" Tseng frowned "it wouldn't do anybody any good if you fall ill"

"Yes mother" Draco replied sullenly. He took a few bites but then felt his stomach churn. He placed his fork down to steady himself. The man looked at him with concern.

"Are you alright?" Tseng asked, reaching to feel Draco's forehead and found it a little bit warm "Maybe you should rest a bit"

The blond slowly stood up but felt the bile rise to his throat and raced to the bathroom. The sounds of his charge retching caused Tseng to grimace. He placed the dishes on the sink with a promise to wash them later. He made his way to the bathroom and found the man leaning against the wall.

Draco was slumped up against the wall when the man entered. He panted lightly and offered the man smile but it must have come out in a grimace since the man frowned. He moved to the sink to wash the remaining traces of half digested food. He gripped the counter tightly as he felt his knees weaken and his head pound.

After washing his mouth, he retired to his room with Tseng's aid. He felt feeble as he lay down on the sheets. He gave the man a nod as he fell into pleasant slumber.

Tseng left the room and went to the kitchen to clean the dishes he left in the sink. He took of his black single-breasted jacket and hung it on the chair, his silencer resting at the holster strapped to the left side of his waist. He unbuttoned the cuffs and rolled up his sleeves up to his elbow then proceeded to scrape the remnants of that night's dinner. After drying the dishes and returning them to the cupboards, he left for his bedroom.

Tseng reclined in his chair as he waited for his company issued laptop to load. He closed his eyes for a moment and reviewed the information he had gathered so far. His thought process was:

Marcia, his charge for almost twenty years, had discovered her true nature.

charge is currently MIA and he had sent a search party to secure her location

is somewhat…scratch that….She _is_ involved with Rufus but she probably didn't realize to what extent

Shinra is currently Draco Malfoy and has contracted geostigma which will cause imminent death if not dealt with

, he had to retrain said person in marksmanship.

, said person had somewhat issued an order to hunt down any remnants of Sephiroth and he accepted.

, he had to finish training said person before he leaves him alone with the others.

The leader of the Turks felt a migraine coming along as he added the information about Ophelie to the computer's database. He had agreed with Professor Hojo that he would document the girl's behavior even though he disagreed with the man's code of ethics, or lack thereof. He opened a browser to type in the current mission he had assigned to the Turks. He saved file and opened another browser to type the task that had been forced upon him. He made a back up of the documents before shutting them down and retiring for bed.

He had taken most of his clothing off save for his slacks when his phone vibrated on the desk. He flipped it open.

"Status report" Tseng began

" **Target's location has not been confirmed** " replied Elena

"Any word from Reno or Rude?" he asked

" **Reno is currently checking random shops at Edge to see if anybody has spotted her** " said Elena

"Rude?" Tseng inquired

" **At the Church** " she replied " **he got wind that she frequently visited the place** "

"And you?" Tseng asked

" **Checking the travel plans in car parked near the Memorial. Apparently, she left for Nibelheim with a Shinra issued chopper a few days ago** "

"That was authorized by me. Anything else?"

" **Other than that, none** "

"Where are you staying?"

" **Some motel in 5** **th** **district** "

"Very well then, all expenses will be reimbursed upon return"

" **Sir…what if we don't find her?** " Elena asked with hesitation edging on her voice

"Head back to Healin"

" **Understood** "

"And Elena" he paused "Be careful"

" **Sir** "

Tseng clicked the phone shut and sighed. He didn't need this right now _Ophelie, where are you?_ He laid down on the mattress and fell into a troubled sleep, dreaming shades of amber, blue and brown, then white.

_A_ _man trudged down a path of flowers. They were similar to those that he found at the Church where she used to stay. A giggle startled him. He turned and faced a girl with green eyes smiling at him._

" _Been a long time hasn't it Tseng?" she said, bending down to tend to the flowers_

_Tseng smiled sadly "Too long" he paused "How have you been?"_

" _Fine" she paused "at the moment" she stood up dusting her pink dress of imaginary dirt_

" _How is-" he started but was cut off when an arm slung over his shoulder_

" _Just peachy Tseng" the man wearing a Shinra issued uniform said "By the way, Rufus popped here not too long ago while Aerith was with that Draco kid"_

" _Zack! You're not suppose to tell him that" Aerith reprimanded, she turned to face Tseng "They're fine by the way"_

_Tseng nodded "What is this place?" he asked_

" _Oh you know" Zack began "Lifestream's reception area"_

" _You mean I'm dead!" the normally calm man nearly shouted. How could he die that way? He just fell asleep! He was supposed to go in a hale of bullets or some explosion, not because of sleeping and not waking up!_

" _We seem to be getting the same reaction every time" Aerith giggled "And no. You're not dead. We just thought you might need a bit of cheering up. You're starting to act like Cloud when his having his moments" she sighed_

" _Kid can't take a hint" Zack grinned "Man, if Angeal sees the state his sword's in, he'll murder the poor chocobo" the former 1_ _st_ _class Soldier added, obviously referring to his friend's hair_

" _So why exactly am I here? Not that I mind, just curious" Tseng asked_

" _Oh, that part!" Zack exclaimed "We hav' ta make sure that you were okay. We need you to be prepared for what's to come"_

" _Zack" Aerith said in a stern tone_

" _Right, right, sorry" Zack waved her off "You know you can't stay mad at me" he smiled and the girl returned it_

" _Am I missing something?" Tseng asked, confused yet again_

" _Nothing at all, buddy" Zack said patting him on the back "Just take care okay?"_

_Tseng gave them a confused look, then he started to fall._

" _Oh Tseng, one more thing" Aerith said "Dilly dally shilly shally" then disappeared_

A thump was heard as the Wutanian rolled out of his bed and fell to the floor. He sighed as he pulled off the covers that clung to him. He dragged his palm across his face in frustration. He checked the time. The green light blinked back 5:23 am. He let out a breath to calm his nerves then stood up and made the bed.

Tseng made his way to the bathroom, his feet not making any sounds in the wooden floor boards. He took off the remaining clothing that hung onto him and turned the valve of the shower to the coldest setting. He always took cold showers in the morning and warms ones at night. The exemption was during winter, when he took both hot showers in the morning and night.

He tensed then felt his body relax when the cold started to bite in his skin. Ice was his affinity, just as Electricity belonged to Reno, Fire to Elena, and Poison to Rude. He didn't know what belonged to Rufus but he did notice the materia embedded in the piercing he acquired a few months after their visit to Nibelheim when he was around ten or so. He quickly lathered himself before stepping again into the cold spray of the shower. He almost ripped his hair in frustration. _What does Aerith mean 'for the moment'? The situation is complex enough without her interfering._ His thoughts straying to the Ancient

He turned the valve and dried himself off. He caught his reflection on the mirror and grimaced. Dark shadows framed his eyes and his skin had taken a sickly hue. He swore that he would get some sleep during the afternoon. They didn't need another Turk to be out of commission.

He quickly got dressed and slipped on his leather gloves and shoes. Double checking if he left anything important, he felt the gun on his waist and the PHS in his pocket. He straightened his tie and stepped out to the hallway. He made his way to the kitchen and was assaulted with the aroma of freshly brewed coffee.

"I figured you'd want a cup" the blond handed him a mug and poured some coffee into it. He took a seat and continued reading the newspaper. Tseng gave him a nod in thanks then turned his attention to the stove to face the challenge of making breakfast. He cracked two eggs and grated cheese on top of them. When they were done, he slipped them onto a plate and began to cook the bacon. It joined the eggs once they were crispy. He placed the plate on the table before slipping four slices of bread on the toaster and waited.

The Turk casually took a sip of his coffee while watching the blond in his peripheral vision. His subject was currently rapt in the words that lined the paper. He was jolted out of his musing when the toaster let out a ding. He placed his cup down on the counter and made his way to the toaster.

He carefully slid the now darkened bread on another plate and placed it in the table. He went to the fridge and grabbed a bar of butter and strawberry jam. He cut two pieces of butter and placed them in a saucer. Then took a spoonful of the jam and placed it in another saucer. He placed the butter and jam back in the fridge and took the two saucers to the table. He went back to back to fetch his coffee then settled himself on his seat.

Draco lowered the paper and stared at the food before him. He folded the paper and placed it in one of the unoccupied seats. He took a piece of toast and slathered it liberally with strawberry jam. He took a tentative nip then a larger bite when he deemed the taste satisfactory. Stopping a few moments later to take a sip of the tea he prepared earlier. It was Raspberry, Passion Fruit and Cherries today. He noticed the man staring at him. He raised an eyebrow in challenge.

Tseng smirked while sipping "Your antiques are so similar" he said, then picked up his utensils and began eating

Draco shrugged. He already knew that he was being compared. No need to fuel the fire. He began to dig into his food with more vigor than the night before. He set the silverware aside and waited for Tseng to do the same. Once the man cleared the table, Draco took out another set of papers and lined them on the table.

"I seemed to have found a rather interesting piece of information" the blond began as he situated himself near the man to point out few aspects in the selections. "Project MO a.k.a. Meta Omega" The brunette leaned close to see the papers and read.

"This seems to be a side project the Professor dealt with" Tseng replied "From what I've heard the project wasn't approved by the Board of Directors since the subject didn't show any improvement when infused with mako"

"Yes. That is the case, I've read the Soldier reports of mako infusion" Draco replied "but did you read the subject's profile?" Draco pointed to a charred paper "I took the liberty since there wasn't any picture"

Tseng read the remaining visible portion where the blond pointed. It read:

Identification Number: 00729146

Sample's Origin: Mideel

Race: (seems) Human

Gender: Female

Height: 5'3"

Weight: 100 lbs

Eye Color: Yellow

Hair Color: Black

Special Attributes: Mako Immunity but shows Soldier-like qualities. Though lacking in physical strength, compensates through stamina & speed in the training facility.

Progress Report:

reacts in situations deemed dangerous

spents most of the time sleeping

confined to C section holding cell due to fluctuation of abilities

The remaining identifiable portion ended there. The rest were burned off by some sort of acid. Tseng turned to Draco.

"I don't see the significance of this information" Tseng replied "Reports regarding Project MO ceased to come when the Board condoned it due to the specimen's lack of development" _though the characteristics are disturbingly similar_ he thought

Draco gave him a skeptical look "I'm sure even you noticed the similarities of the sample and Ophelie" he crossed his arms across his chest

Tseng sighed "The resemblance is striking but Ophelie was brought into the labs for different reasons. Though she was injected with mako and didn't show any changes" Tseng paused as realization sunk in and the blond looked smug "…because she was already naturally enhanced" he whispered

"Listen" Draco said in a somber tone "I know we don't know each other very well and we had our disagreements" he grimaced "but if this report is together with the other reports in that heap that Rufus was going through, then he must've made the connection or he at least thought it was important enough"

Tseng gave a terse nod "We'll check up on it when they get back and head off to Nibelheim"

Draco gave a smug smile "Can't believe you people missed that"

Tseng shot him a stern look "We were preoccupied at the moment and the decisions for these are not within our purview"

"Details, details" Draco waved him off "Anyway, what's the agenda for today?"

Tseng arranged the papers and placed them back in the folder "We'll proceed with marksmanship training then maybe an introduction to materia in the afternoon" he replied "Get your equipment and head out back. I'll just take care of a few things"

"Sure" Draco replied, trying to hide his enthusiasm but Tseng caught on and gave him a smile

"You could set up the targets while waiting" Tseng added as he left for his room store the files.

He placed them together with the files concerning Ophelie. When he heard the backdoor shut he quickly made his way to Rufus' room and rummaged through his closets till he found the container he was looking for. It was small circular metal box that held an ear stud securing a scarlet gem. _Materia_ he thought _but what kind?_ He pocketed the box and made his way to the backyard.

Morning training progressed smoothly as Draco quickly got the hang of the shotgun. Even though he was still using both hands to support the firearm, he was showed immense improvement as compared to yesterday. However, he tended to get cocky which led to a loss of concentration and eventually missing the targets. They took a break to have lunch and for Draco to take a shower since he fell into one of the mud holes when he lost his footing. Good thing he wasn't wearing Rufus' white ensemble, else there would be hell to pay when the other blond got back.

After lunch, Tseng led him back to the backyard carrying a pouch of materia. It consisted of the basic ones that they carried during missions. They sat down on one of the stone benches as he explained each one to the blond.

"This one is Cure" he held out the green sphere to Draco "not a Mastered one but good enough to keep you alive when inflicted with a serious injury"

Draco nodded as he felt the engraving "Good to know. Even though it isn't going to work for my situation" he replied sourly

Tseng chose not to reply to the comment "This one is Bolt, almost Mastered due to Reno's keenness of causing explosions"

Draco smirked as it was passed to him but Tseng noticed and frowned "Which you should only use when we are not there to defend you" Tseng tersely said before grabbing it back and placing it in the pouch.

Draco made a face "Kill joy" he replied

"Better a kill joy than an impertinent brat" he retorted "materia will end up _killing your joy_ if mishandled" he scolded as he handed him another sphere.

"Wait, lemme guess this one" Draco held it and felt the warmth it radiated "Fire?"

The corner of Tseng lifting a little "Correct" he replied then took the sphere and passed him another "this one is my most preferred one"

Draco felt the cold bite into his skin "Ice, obviously" he answered as he handed it back to the man

Tseng nodded and gave him the last sphere "Barrier" he answered the curious look Draco shot him "helped us is a lot of tight situations"

"That's all?" Draco said as he fiddled with the sphere "and here I thought you'd have a more…abundant supply" he handed it back

"We do" Tseng replied, his thoughts going back to the Summon materias and to the box in his pocket "it's just stored away, ready incase of emergencies and I don't think you should be meddling with them at the moment"

"Oh, if that's the case then I'll go back to browsing the piles of paper" Draco began to stand but the look Tseng gave stopped him "There's something else, right?" he inquired

Tseng nodded and took out a circular metal box "This" he opened the box and Draco peered in "is a materia Rufus acquired a few years back. I'm not familiar with it but it seemed harmless enough. It never reacted so far." _Or so I think, though I sometimes swore it glowed a few times_.

Draco took it and examined it "And I suppose you want me to wear it?" he asked and Tseng nodded "I guess" he replied before feeling his ears for a piercing.

He found one in his left ear and secured the stud in "How do I look?" Draco asked throwing one of his charming grins

Tseng fought a snort "Like he was ten years ago" he replied as he packed up the materias.

"Is that a good thing?" he asked "I feel like a rebel" he grinned "it's kinda cool"

Tseng smirked "Yes, well that does describe him pretty well"

"Oh?" Draco asked "How so?"

"The late President and him" Tseng responded, choosing his words with caution "disagreed in certain aspects"

"I see" Draco asked, touching the stone that was held in his ear. He didn't know the feeling. Though his father remained cold, he knew that he cared. He greatly admired his father's charisma and the way he was able to order people around.

"Well then" Tseng said as he stood and straightened his suit "I suggest you rest a bit before you continue reading. Dinner will be served at seven"

Draco nodded and left for his room, leaving Tseng to ponder if he made the right decision of allowing the blond to wear Rufus' materia. He shook his head. Allowing him to wear the materia would eliminate any suspicion regarding the situation the man is in. He went back into the house and rested a bit. He knew that he would have a fitful sleep that night, thoughts about Rufus and Ophelie haunting him.

They ate dinner in silence, both too caught up in their musings. After dinner, Draco bid Tseng good night and retired for the night. The blond deciding that it would be more efficient to continue reading the files in the morrow since he felt a headache coming along. Tseng nodded to him and proceeded to clean the table, storing the remaining food in one of the plastic containers and placing it in the fridge.

After taking a shower to relieve him of the apprehension in waiting for today's transmission, he opened his laptop to take inventory. He took note of the bullets that Draco used up earlier that they and the provisions that they had used up. Deciding that they were running a little low, he called up Strife Delivery. After a few rings, it picked up but he was met with the voice of a young woman.

" **Hello, Strife Delivery. You call, we deliver** "

"Ms. Lockheart" Tseng replied "I was expecting Strife"

" **Tseng** " the woman replied politely " **he's out on a delivery, can I take a message?** "

"I see" Tseng replied "Can you deliver a few provisions to Healin Lodge?"

" **I'll ring it up** " the girl replied " **You can call me Tifa, you know. Anything else?** "

"Of course, Tifa" Tseng answered, smiling slightly, then thought for awhile "Can you also add a box of Rufus' ammo? I trust you know the make?"

" **Of course** " Tifa replied " **I'll have Cloud deliver them as soon as he get back from Kalm** "

"Oh and Ms. Lockheart" Tseng asked seriously "Have you seen Ophelie?"

Tifa thought for a moment " **Not in a long time** " she paused " **Did something happen to her?** " she asked, a bit worried

Tseng sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose "We've lost contact with her a few days ago"

" **I'll call if anything comes up** " Tifa replied

"Thank you" Tseng said and clicked his phone shut.

The Wutanian reclined into his seat a few moments before his phone vibrated, signaling a transmission from one of Turks. He sighed then flipped it open.

" **Yo Dot-Man!** "

"Reno" Tseng replied a bit strained "Any changes?"

" **Sorry Boss. Everything's a no-go. Even Rude here's grasping straws** "

"I see. And Elena?"

" **Same old, same old** " Reno replied casually " **It's like she disappeared out of thin air** "

"Continue the mission and don't forget to check her place again" Tseng replied "And fix the door"

" **Sure thing** " Reno replied " **What about the Pres? He doing okay?** "

"Yes. In fact, he's been practicing shooting lately"

" **That's good then. Anyway, we're turning in for the night. Then have an early start tomorrow. Probably be at Healin around early afternoon at the latest** " the redhead replied before signing off.

Tseng clicked the phone shut and retired for the night. Fortunately, he wasn't disturbed by puppies or flowers. He woke up a little bit later the next day, and was greeted by the same sight of Draco reading the paper. The day progressed the same as yesterday, with the exemption of Draco learning how to cast Cure when a bullet ricocheted after a misfire. It scraped Tseng's arm. Other than that, the day was fairly normal.

After being briefed by Tseng on how to act when in company of the other Turks, he joined them in discussing the current situation. They sat in the living room as the redhead gave a synopsis of the mission. Tseng nodded accordingly while Draco remained silent, observing their behavior.

"So that's what happened" Reno finished and slumped in the couch next to Rude.

"Then we'll proceed without her" Tseng replied indifferently, he held his hand up to stop the tirade of his second-in-command "I understand your concern for her but I'm confident that she would turn up eventually like before"

"Yeah Reno" Elena piped in "She and Tseng went missing after the incident in the Temple of Ancients but they turned up a few months later without a scratch"

"That's what I'm worried about" Reno grunted "She wasn't the same when she came back. She kept spacing out and forgetting things"

"I'm sure she'll be fine" Tseng dismissed their statements "Now on to the mission." They all gave him their undivided attention.

"Rufus" he punctuated while glancing at the blond to his left "Suggested that we should seek out any remnants of Sephiroth" Elena flinched at the name but the others remained stoic "since he assumed that the General could come back a third time" he grimaced "it addition, we'll be stopping by Nibelheim to pick up a few files regarding Project Meta Omega"

"Ya mean Hojo's side project?" Reno inquired "But I thought the Board stopped funding that?"

"I thought so too" Tseng replied "but Rufus insisted that we should confirm a few things"

"Copy that Boss-man" Reno replied "Who's going"

Tseng stood and the other's followed "Reno, you'll be flying the chopper" he faced Elena "You'll be accompanying me since Reno will be watching the chopper"

"That leaves Rude with the Pres" Reno grinned "Sorry buddy. Guess you'll be missing all the fun" the stoic man snorted

"We leave ASAP" Tseng said "Bring the usual equipment" he paused "and maybe the heavy artillery incase we do find anything" he said gravely

Draco remained silent as the prepared for the mission. He retired to his bedroom to read up a few files. He was then interrupted by a knock as Rude entered.

"Sir, the others have left" Rude said

Draco nodded, acting as Tseng instructed "Very well, when do they get back?"

"ETA 1800 next week. Then they leave again" Rude replied "Apparently, Tseng seems adamant leaving you in my care" Rude asked suspicion lacing his voice

Draco tensed a bit but then schooled his features "I don't think he's undermining your capabilities. He's just concerned" he replied dismissing the Turk.

As soon as the door closed, Draco face palmed then pinched the bridge of his and ran his hand through his hair _The sooner this is over, the better. I just hope I don't drop dead before that._


	9. Tangles

Purging the Pain

Chapter 9: Tangles

Disclaimer: Do not own FF7 or HP, just Ophelie. Thanks for those who reviewed! First to ViviMouse, who kept inspiring me to write more. Second to The-Living-Shadow, for the first to review; third to Serenity Reigns, who was the 2nd person to review. Reminder: I edited chapter 3, a part towards the end so that you know the time line. This chapter is where the rating should go up. Why? 'Cause Ophelie jumps Rufus! Anyway, I'll stop spoiling so read and review!

"Dumbledore" a short, squat woman resembling a large pale toad, began in a sickly sweet tone "I have been informed that during my short absence, a new student has been admitted. From what I know, Hogwarts has never admitted any transfer students, excluding the time when the Triwizard Tournament was being held. Care to explain?" her tone was accusing

"Of course, Dolores, I am aware of the school's history even though some claims pointed out that my mental stability is somewhat questionable." the headmaster humored the ministry official turned professor

"I suggest that you take this seriously" said Dolores "the reason I have been gone for a few days-"

"-is precisely why students are having difficulty adjusting. Do you have any idea how difficult it is for students when their schedules are suddenly mixed up and they have to excuse themselves from other classes just to accommodate you? " a professor to Dumbledore's right cut in.

Dolores Umbridge pursed her lips as she was interrupted. The other woman was glaring at her as if willing her to combust on the spot, which was actually possible if a magical person was furious enough.

"Now, now, Minerva" Dumbledore placated the Transfiguration professor "I'm sure Dolores had important ministry business to take care off"

Umbridge opened her mouth to reply but was interrupted by a door bursting open revealing a disheveled and panting Hermione.

"Professor" the academician panted "Ophelie, she…then Professor Snape-"

"-lead the way Ms. Granger" interrupted Dumbledore.

Hermione nodded and briskly led them to the library. They met a horror stricken Irma Pince as she opened the doors.

_H_ _alf an hour ago, give or take_

"I see you have some admirers" Rufus gestured to the small box "it seems that your charm never fails"

Ophelie made a face and retorted "Says the guy who has his own fan club" pointing to the group of girls that appeared to be a year lower than theirs. He threw them a glare and they shuffled away.

"Aren't you going to open it?" he pointed to the box beside the books that she was reading.

She sighed and started pulling at the ribbon that held the lid. "You know I really have to work on my-" she was cut off when smoke started to emit from the box. Acting on instinct, she immediately threw the box and pulled out her gun since the library was almost empty aside from the librarian who wasn't paying them any attention.

"-PR" she finished as she placed herself between Rufus and the box.

A few seconds later, the smoked dispersed and revealed a creature that stunned the Shinra heir and his Turk.

Ophelie froze, her gun still aimed at the creature. She didn't notice the materia in her pocket as it pulsed out a soft golden light. She was too focused on the creature that she didn't perceive the two figures that slipped in to the library and slunk towards them, taking refuge behind one of the bookcases. Nor did she feel the hand that was suddenly on her shoulder. Poor girl, she was so caught up in the pandemonium of her emotions and thoughts, but not for long.

"Rufus" she slipped out in a pleading hoarse voice

The Shinra heir hadn't budge an inch, for he was also enthralled by the creature before him. He moved forward to scrutinize the creature, ignoring the quivering brunette behind him. The creature was apparently female. She was mesmerizing, in a gory and ethereal fashion as blood was smeared on her face, hands and splattered across her tattered cream gown.

 _I thought it was a dead end thesis. Finally, a lead on the Project, that fool of a father was stupid enough to relocate the funding into Soldier_ the blond thought, awestruck as he approached the creature.

He glanced back between the creature and Ophelie, piecing together her reaction. The figure before him looked strikingly similar to the Ophelie he met fifteen years ago in Nibelheim, long hair and pale skin – not that she wasn't still pale. He took another step forward, ignoring the warning bells that were resonating in his head. However, when he was around five feet away from the creature, he noticed the difference between the Ophelie back then and this specimen. He was focused on her face.

Malicious amber met silver

Rufus Shinra knew fear. He once stated that a "Little fear will control the mind of the common people." He heard Reno even joked once that "If ya want ta know the etymology of the word 'fear', you hav'ta look under 'R' in the encyclopedia for 'Rufus'". Of course he had found it amusing, those were one of the reasons he kept the redheaded Turk.

But once he got back, he'd have to find that encyclopedia and tell the editor that there was copyright infringement and that he could be sued for misrepresentation.

Why?

Because he had just met the creature that coined, defined and enforced the word.

He took a step back, caution overtaking his drive for the Project. He knew a few self-defense maneuvers but he was better with firearms. Being able to use materia had been a plus. However, even if he did know magic, he didn't know _their_ kind of magic. He took another step back but the creature seemed to have snapped out of its stupor and stretched in a lazy fashion. Rufus thinking it was a ploy, the creature merely testing its muscles.

"Ophelie" he whispered when he was able to make it back to her side

"Please…sir…run and don't look" she said as the hand gripping the gun shook.

The creature then let out an eerie feminine cackle. Ophelie flinched as cloak-like wings protruded from its back. Its skin started to emit a green hue. It raised its arm that was littered with leaf-like markings. It grinned, revealing blood-coated fangs.

Ophelie pulled Rufus back acting as a shield for him. Her hand continued to shake, her knuckles turning white.

" _Oh my_ " the feminine voice mused " _your imagination doesn't do me justice. I'm terrifying, I admit…terrifyingly gorgeous._ " the voice laughed " _But I must congratulate the Reno clones, very creative._ " it trailed off

Ohpelie shook her head. She was taking rapid shallow breaths. The hand grasping the gun was starting to cramp. It crept towards her chest and lungs. She knew the symptoms. She was well acquainted with them ever since the incident in the Temple of Ancients.

" _hyperventilation syndrome, dysfunctional breathing, symptomatic hyperventilation, behavioral breathlessness, over-breathing, panic attack, excessive air, hyperventilate, anxiety, rapid breathing, deep breathing, hyperventilation_ " the voice listed off " _still the same…by the way I suggest focusing on the hot gorgeous thing in front of you_ "

Ophelie still hadn't move. By this time, Rufus was gripping her arm tightly. Though he looked calm outwardly, he was so close to panicking on the spot. He already knew something was strange about Ophelie before since he couldn't find any records pertaining to her biography previous to her employment. He had hacked into the system's mainframe and into the archives to find any information about her in Nibelheim since he had first met her there. He already had his suspicions regarding the connection between Project MO and Ophelie when he was able to the remaining hard copy of the dissertation.

"Ophelie!" he hissed as the Turk continued to shake under his hold

"Please…run" she gasped. She didn't know what to do. She read the files but she didn't know that it would feel like this if ever there was a confrontation. Her index finger twitched in anticipation for a shot. The problem was she couldn't fire. This was the only connection to her past. She needed, no she _wanted_ this.

" _If you think that way, then let go_ " the voice commanded, losing all traces of juvenility " _Become nothing_ "

"Ophelie!" Rufus shouted "Move! That's an order!" he tried to pull her away but stopped as he was met with the same malicious amber eyes. He let her go and immediately stepped back, survival instincts kicking in.

" _Go back to the darkness_ " the voice said

Ophelie slacked and tossed him the gun. _Who are you? Okay, that was a stupid question._ She thought before relinquishing control.

Rufus caught the gun with practiced ease. Ophelie threw him a feral grin as he backed away. He was shocked as she handed him the gun then replied cynically "Yes, my lord" as same green light surfaced from her skin.

"I expect a proper payment" she added as she raised her tattoo covered arm. Her pupils turning into slits as the sclera became obsidian "unless you wish to form a contract, then payment can be negotiated" she added as a after though.

Rufus shielded his eyes and braced himself as he felt the impact of the explosion and the blinding gold light that joined it. When the light faded, he found himself unscathed save for the cut on his neck due to a shard of glass. He spotted the box from where the creature originated, then he looked back to Ophelie.

She was currently holding up a barrier as a huge portion of the ceiling collapsed on them. Books were haphazardly laying on what was left of the wooden floors. Pages flew towards him as a gust of wind entered through the giant hole behind Ophelie. She released the barrier and simultaneously propelled herself towards Rufus, using the momentum to prevent them from getting pinned by the rubble. Ophelie ended up sprawled on top of Rufus, grinning wolfishly.

"I don't mind this payment either" she raised herself up on all fours but didn't get off Rufus. And like an animal that's about devour its prey, she bent down and licked the cut on his neck, nipping the uninjured skin surrounding the cut.

"You taste better than Tseng" she said, millimeters away from his lips, licking her lips "Rufus Shinra" The boy's eye's widened.

Rufus lay rigid under Ophelie. _No, not Ophelie_ he thought as he let out a steady breath. He knew that if she was in her right mind this wouldn't be happening. But he couldn't help but let out a groan as she licked his cut. He couldn't push her away since she somehow managed to pin his hands above his head. Now straddling him, he definitely couldn't throw her off.

"And you are?" he said coolly, trying to hide the fear that was ebbing from his body. _Someone should have at least heard the explosion, just have to buy myself some time_ he thought

Ophelie paused for a moment then whispered in his ear "How 'bout you call me Meg?" she said in a come hither tone, her amber eyes glinting with suppressed impulsions then going back to her earlier ministrations.

He felt himself flush as Meg somehow managed to snake her hand underneath his shirt while keeping both his hand pinned about his head. He ground his teeth in frustration. He didn't want her like that. _I think, at least_ he added _She's like…a sister to me…well…more than that, which I'm sure of_. Unfortunately, since this wasn't his original body, it wasn't responding like he wanted. He let out a gasp and shivered as he felt one of her incisors bite the ear he used to have a studded materia.

"Told you Georgie" a voice interrupted them.

Meg looked up from her position and growled at the redhead. The redhead raised his hands in mock surrender. Rufus used this opportunity to throw Meg off and backed away. He internally cursed as he spotted the gun at Meg's feet. He must've dropped it when she knocked him over. Meg saw this and smirked. She bent over and pocketed the gun.

She pouted at him since he had backed away from her. She then gave the redheads a virulent glare "I admit" she said as she approached them "Your prank was amusing" she gave them a smirk and they gave it back two fold, not sensing the sadistic aura she was emitting.

Rufus, sensing the impending doom of the redheads, backed away, self-preservation bypassing the urge to halt any of the proceedings. However, after few steps he was pinned on the spot by two slit amber pupils framed by obsidian.

"Don't even think of running away" she said darkly then continued her way towards the redhead.

The redhead grinned then said "No need to thank us Ophelie, right Fred?" as he slung one arm around 'Ophelie'.

"George" Fred said ominously as he tried to pull his brother away, finally sensing the malicious intent. "I don't think-"

"Get away!" a voice pierced the air as Snape burst into the scene, pointing a wand at Ophelie.

George backed away quickly "Professor?" he looked back at 'Ophelie' and froze.

Ophelie grinned darkly as she sensually made her way towards the retreating redhead. "Oh, funny and smart" she said with false sweetness to the other redhead while watching Snape through her peripheral.

"There are two things I _hate, the, most_ " she matched the stresses to each step.

"First, is being interrupted" she glanced back at Rufus winked. The blond glared back.

"Oh, feisty" she haughtily countered and continued to the redhead.

"And can you guess the second?" she asked "Georgie?" finally cornering the redhead in one of the tables and grasping his loosened tie.

"Well, Georgie?" she whispered in his ear as she pulled him to her level

The redhead opened his mouth to reply but was cut off when the forgotten professor casted a hex.

"Sectumsempra!"

Ophelie raised her hand to block it using the same technique earlier but was a little bit late which resulted to her palm to be sliced three inches across.

She stared icily at the caster and called out singsong voice "You're lucky Mr. Snape" as she stared uncaringly at her already healing appendage "if Fred over there hadn't stopped me earlier" she inclined her head towards Rufus "then I would've gained by my strength and would've used George here as a human shield, then pay you back double" she grinned, showing her fangs

She turned to face George "Oh, and the second thing I hate the most…is being deprived of a meal" she moved in to bite the redhead's exposed neck but was yet again lost the privilege of her meal when the blond called out in a calm authoritarian voice.

"Project MO, I order you to cease this instant" Rufus calmly walked towards her, flicking a bang

"Oh? I didn't think you knew that" the girl reluctantly released the redhead but he didn't move, too shocked at scene playing before him.

Snape used the moment to approach the blond. His wand pointed warningly at the girl. But Rufus threw him a look which ensured future reprimanding if any attempt was made to 'Ophelie'.

"Let her go" he commanded "or I will be forced to use drastic measures" the blond threatened

The girl wave her hand nonchalantly "Is that a threat?" she said, while cocking her head to the side, a smirk playing in her lips.

"Obviously" the blond retorted, confidence fully restored

"But sir" she drawled "surely you know that there has to be a contract first before issuing an order"

Rufus cocked an eyebrow. "Of course" he replied indifferently, silence enveloping them.

None were daring to intervene for the fear of bringing down the girl's wrath.

"And how do you plan to execute your threat exactly?" she asked haughtily "given that I don't 'let her go'" she added, tossing her head back to move the bangs covering her face. She folded her arms and waited "Well?"

Rufus smirked and pulled out a yellow orb "A good Turk would've known"

Meg snarled and checked her robes, finding a rip in them. She then made a step towards the blond but he raised the orb in a manner which indicated the destruction of said object.

"You wouldn't dare" she replied, insecurity seeping into her voice as she stood frozen

"Try me" he said "I didn't hesitate when I shot that terrorist who had a gun pointed at your head nor will I hesitate to put you back to the labs when we get back" _If we get back_ he thought grimly

Ophelie stiffened. She knew he wasn't bluffing but then she smirked and leaned to one of tables in a lazy manner. She still had her trump card.

"Don't you mean 'if'?" she replied countered "You do that and you lose your chance to get back" she added smugly

Rufus merely raised an eyebrow "I'll take my chances" he replied, masking his trepidation while waiting for the brunette's reply.

A few moments later, the brunette sighed in frustration "Fine, but just because we're about to have more unwanted audiences."

"I'd have to charge extra" She taunted back at the twins and the professor

She then walked towards him then stopped when she was two feet from him "I expect a contract. She may have been your employee but her Being shall never belong to you" she hissed before fainting and allowing the body to return to its owner.

Rufus quickly caught her and laid her down to the floor. "You should know me better than that, Turk" he replied before getting her gun and slipping it into his robe to join the materia.

Before he could pick her up, the doors opened and the Headmaster – followed by the Deputy Headmistress and a Ministry official turned professor – entered and surveyed the scene.

"What is the meaning of this?!" screeched Umbridge, she was about to continue her tirade when she saw the extent of the damage to the library, but was stopped abruptly by Dumbledore.

"Severus" he said as the man approach "kindly take the children to the infirmary then up to my office" he dismissed them as he inspected the damages the library received.

Severus nodded, displeased that he was left with such a medial task but tried to ignore the feeling. He watched as the recently transferred Gryffindor girl was being gently held by his Slytherin charge, the sight of it adding to his displeasure. He turned his attention to the two redheaded ruffians who he suspected, were the cause of the current situation. He joined the two redheads as they cautiously approach the pair on the floor.

"What in Merlin's name just happened?!" an appalled Fred exclaimed, his wand out, expecting the girl to stir at any moment.

Fred received a vituperative glare from the blond that hoisted the girl up and slung her over his shoulder. The blond didn't dignify his statement by giving an auditory response. He merely walked towards the infirmary. He left them together with the professor they detested with a passion. The professor sneered at them.

"Why am I not surprised?" Snape said venomously "First, attempting to place a student permanently out of commission and now even turning against your own house" he grabbed them and followed the two that had already left.

"Your bravery to break rules knows no bounds" the professor grunted as they entered the infirmary as the blond laid the girl down in of the beds. He acknowledged the professor with a terse nod and went to fetch the nurse.

"Sit" Snape ordered the redheads and they settled themselves in the chairs provided. He left them and made his way to Rufus. He spotted the blond explaining the situation to the mediwitch. The witch left them to tend to the newest resident of the ward.

Rufus sighed as the man approached. He knew what was about to come as he was left with the professor.

He faced the man and said "I know you have some questions but this is neither the time nor the place" with that he left the man and joined the mediwitch.

He gave the twins a glare as he approached the mediwitch that was assessing his bodyguard's health.

The twins flinched at the intensity of the stare. It wasn't like the glares that they used to receive. Those were like fires from a muggle book that their mother scared them with. They remembered it very well after giving their younger brother false advises. It told about being sent to the Eight Bolgia of the Eight Circle of Hell where they would be encased in individual flames. No, the glare they received was much worse. It was like the ice that froze their very being. It was the ice from the Ninth Circle of Hell.

Rufus returned his attention to the mediwitch and his Ophelie. He cringed at the thought _No, not my Ophelie_ he chided himself, the earlier conversation with Meg haunting him.

" _She may have been your employee but her Being shall never belong to you_ "

He shook his head at the thought and turned to the mediwitch "Excuse me, but what is your prognosis of Ms. Marcia?" he asked, reverting back to formalities

The woman pursed her lips "I can't seem to find anything wrong with her" she paused "physically, at least" she added before turning to him "Care to tell me what happened?"

Rufus gave her a solemn look then replied "I'm not so sure myself"

She then gave him a soft smile _He's changed_ she thought, "Then I suggest you keep an eye on Ms. Marcia" she said then turned to leave as Rufus gazed at the figure on the bed.

"Oh, and Mr. Malfoy" he turned to face her

"Thoughts could leave deeper scarring than almost anything else" the mediwitch said softly

He gave her a curt nod then smiled bitterly at the sleeping brunette. _That is something I've learned a long time ago._ He then turned his attention to the redheads that were currently being reprimanded by the professor. He sauntered towards them, taking on the façade of the President he once was. He stopped behind the professor and cleared his throat.

"Excuse me professor" he said coolly "Though I admire your method of interrogating these two…ruffians" he paused giving them his infamous glare "I would like to have a few words with them before we proceed to the Headmaster's office" he gave Snape a look that left no room for argument. The man merely gave a curt nod and allowed him to proceed.

The former President of Shinra Inc. turned to them and gave them the façade he used during board meetings.

"I suppose the two of you are responsible for the incident at the library, no?" he asked calmly but internally he wanted to get the firearm that was currently residing in his robe and waste a few bullets on them.

"What's it to you ferret?" one of them retorted. The professor opened his mouth to reprimand the student but the blond raised his hand to silence the man. He added a glare to ensure that the man wouldn't think of interrupting.

Rufus cocked an eyebrow at the childish insult and retorted "Instead of wasting time with petty insults, I suggest you explain yourselves and get our stories straight before heading to the office"

"Why should we listen to you?" said the other "Just because Snape's you godfather, doesn't mean we have to do what you want" said the other

"Hold your tongues, Weasleys" reprimanded Snape

Rufus narrowed his eyes at the man "While I think that your intimidating presence is a nice touch to this interrogation, I would prefer if you leave this to me" he said and the professor gave him a scathing look which he brushed off.

Rufus took a seat in front of them observed them. _They look like clones of Reno._ He crossed his legs and placed his interlaced fingers on his knees and waited. When they chose to hold their right to remain silent, his patience had already been stretched. He pinched the bridge of his nose to contain the migraine that was beginning to form. A habit he acquired from the Turk leader.

"I am a patient man, Fred, George" he said, not really sure which was which but he seemed to have gotten it right as they responded accordingly "However, if this involves one of my subordinates – especially one that has served me for the past ten years – I demand explanations. If you choose to continue evoke your right to remain silent, then I might resort to" he paused "non-diplomatic procedures" he said

Fred snorted "What are you going to do?-"

"-Call daddy on us?" George added

Rufus smirked deviously "Oh, my father would be the least of your worries" he replied nonchalantly and took out Ophelie's customized .45 silver pistol. He took note of the expressions on their faces, they were slightly curious.

"I assume you know what this is?" he said before cocking the gun. They nodded in affirmation.

"It's a gun" Fred said then turned to his twin "I didn't think he was paying attention in Muggle Studies" they shared a grin then turned to Rufus

The blond casually stood up and aimed the pistol to Fred's head. The redhead froze whereas the professor raised his wand to stun the boy if the blond made any sudden moves.

Rufus flicked a bang using his free hand "And that is why Ophelie serves me and not you" he smirked "You 'think', I _know_ ". The other redhead made a move to reach for his wand but the blond saw this and threw him a glare that made him halt his attempt.

"You know what else I know?" Rufus asked "I know that this isn't an ordinary gun. This is a customized M1911 pistol, also known as the .45 caliber handgun. It was suppose to weigh 2.437 pounds but I had it built to be only 1.5 give or take. It lives up to its box cover 'Diligentia - Vis - Celeritas' just like its owner" he paused and let the information sink in "Combined with magic, the results are astounding"

He approached the redhead and pressed the barrel to his forehead "Now tell me, what made you pull off such a stunt?" he asked in a menacing tone that promised a very slow painful and repetitive torture "I swear to whatever deity there is, I _will_ find a way to drag your souls from the Lifestream only to kill you again till I'm able to paint the entire castle with your blood."

Fred met his gaze in challenge "I say you're bluffing" he retorted as he was buying time for George to pull his wand. Rufus saw the other redhead raised his wand to cast a hex. Unfortunately, being threatened his whole life, the blond had quicker reflexes. He turned the pistol from one redhead to the other and aimed at the student's hand. The mediwitch rushed in as the redhead screamed in agony.

The blond turned to the other redhead "I seemed to have proven my point" he pressed the warm muzzle to the redhead "So then, Mr. Weasley, shall we proceed?"

The redhead watched as his brother screamed in agony. He turned to the blond "What the bloody hell was that for?!" he shrieked, pushing the pistol aside and rushing to his brother's side. The professor was too stunned to do anything else but stare.

Rufus stared at him unamused "I was merely using him as an example since you obviously doubted my capabilities" he replied deadpanned

"You didn't have to go that far you git!" Fred yelled as he whipped out his wand and pointed it to blond.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you" Rufus said as he observed Ophelie through his peripheral. He noted the tattoo that formed on her arm. "I suggest that you consider putting your wand down" he added while pocketing the pistol. He didn't need it anyway.

"Like hell I would!" Fred countered as he casted a hex

Rufus merely sighed as the hexed approached him. _What is it with redheads and their stupidity. At least Reno compensates his rash actions with his talent to make things combust._

Everything happened under the span of two seconds. As the blond stood still waiting for the hex that he knew wouldn't reach him. The door to the infirmary burst open and the Headmaster accompanied by two professors entered the scene. They are met by a redhead whimpering on the floor, a frantic nurse, another redhead who is overtaken by rage and a stunned professor. However, there are two figures that seem to have taken center stage in this play.

Rufus Shinra, who is currently being hosted in young Malfoy's body, and Ophelie Marcia, who was – though in a sort of catatonic state – currently holding out a barrier that stopped the hex from reaching her charge.

"Do you always have to make a grand entrance every time?" Rufus said amused

The girl didn't say anything. She turned to meet his gaze. Her eyes had lost the intensity it had earlier in the library now had a hazy hue to them. She slumped over and allowed her body to be caught by her charge. The blond merely chuckled and carried the comatose girl to the bed and tucked her in. He leaned in towards the girl's ear and whispered.

"Tell me more of this contract" he smiled "I'm sure we could agree on the terms"

The girl's body relaxed as he whispered his request. He turned his attention to the players that entered his game. He internally grimaced. _One step forward, two steps back, my oh my. Now, what to tell?_ He thought as he approached the professors.

"Severus" Dumbledore began "I was wondering what had taken you so long" his gaze trailing from the blond to the redheads.

"I apologize Headmaster" the Potions Professor replied "Mr. Malfoy had to…settle his affairs with the Weasleys" his gaze drifting to the blond

"I see" Dumbledore replied "Well then, shall we proceed to my office?" he said while looking between the Potions Master and his students

The Potions Master nodded at the Headmaster. He then motioned for Rufus and the uninjured redhead to follow him and the other professors. The blonde took one last glance at the transfer student and followed them. Snape took note of the way Rufus acted towards the girl. He made a rundown of his thoughts regarding the episode that transpired. It's obvious that this Rufus was well acquainted with the transfer student. With that in mind, the girl must have come from whatever place Rufus was originally in. He shivered at the thought while continuing his strides towards the Headmaster's office. He glanced at Rufus to find the boy staring back at him indifferently.

 _I wonder how Lucius would react when he finds out that his son is acting like the man he wanted to turn out to be_ the professor thought _I just hope that he doesn't peer into the boy's mind. There are just too many disturbing things inside his head._

With that in mind the professor took his place in one of the unoccupied walls in the Headmaster's office. He watched as the students followed in and took a seat in the offered chair.

_Can't move_

_Dark_

_Cold_

_Numb_

_Where?_

_Ophelie lifted her head to take in her surroundings. She shook her head to clear the haze that she was in. Looking left then right, she let out a sigh once she realized that she seemed to be nowhere she recognized. It was just too dark. Testing her limbs, she was greeted with a rattling of metal. It was obvious that she wouldn't be able to roam around since the chains that bound her were very much secure. She let out a frustrated sigh. This was something she'd expect after allowing that voice to take over._

" _Finally awake, are we?" a voice said, startling the Turk._

" _Who?" the amber-eyed girl asked while shifting a little to find the source of the voice._

" _I'm not that forgettable, am I?" the voice whispered softly in her ear_

_Ophelie froze as she felt the breath on her ear. She flinched when she felt someone's hand circle around her waist. She tried to struggle but it was futile since the chains bound her hands above her head. Of course, she tried kicking her assailant but the shackles only gave limited movement._

" _What do you want?" Ophelie asked, her hands clenching in disgust as the person still clung to her even when she voiced out her animosity through her tone._

_The person behind her chuckled before letting go of her waist. She felt hands snaking down towards her ankles then heard something snapped open. Her captor had obviously released her legs._

" _Why?" the Turk asked in confusion but was met with another chuckle._

 _The same hands travelled from her legs to the wrists that were bound above her head. She shivered as the person behind her took their time straying to other places before releasing her from her binds. Without warning, the cuffs on her wrists clicked and she fell unceremoniously to the ground. As she pushed herself up, the first thing she saw were the bare feet of her former captor. Light seemed to emanate from whoever this person was and it cloaked them in an emerald glow. A hand then tilted her chin up and she was met amber irises that were similar to hers except_ _sclera of those eyes were unnaturally black. She studied the features of the person who helped her stand. Then it clicked. She backed away in a reaction that was akin to dread._

" _Why?" Ophelie asked again, her tone going from confusion to outright accusatory_

" _Why what?" the figure asked amused_

_The Turk let out a frustrated groan and ran her right hand through her raven hair to ruffle them. The figure chuckled lightly at her expense to which caused Ophelie to glare at her. She then clenched her hands and let out at steady breath to clam herself. She knew loosing her temper would only be a way to entertain the creature in front of her._

" _Why me?" Ophelie asked_

" _Why not you?" the creature countered haughtily_

" _Fine, stupid question" she replied then thought for a moment_

" _Take your time" the figure said before adding "Rufus is pretty busy at the moment 'cause of the show I put on" then smirked, showing her incisors_

" _Right" Ophelie replied before cringing "What exactly are you?"_

" _How 'bout you tell me your guesses and I'll tell you if you're getting warm?" the creature replied nonchalantly_

_Ophelie's eyes narrowed. She didn't like the idea of being toyed with. But with this creature she wasn't sure how she should go on about with the cross examination._

" _Fine" she replied "I'm guessing that you were the creature back from the cave in Mideel?"_

" _Go on" the creature gestured_

" _You're impervious to magic unless they inflict you directly like being stabbed. But you seem to heal pretty quickly unless you were wounded in vital areas"_

" _Getting warm. What else you have?" the creature taking sudden interest in her words_

" _Reports say that your" she though of phrasing the next statements "…performance fluctuates every four months or so, especially towards the end of those months"_

_The creature smiled slightly but remained silent. Ophelie took this as a motion to continue but she wondered what those months signify. She pushed the thought away and focused on the interrogation._

" _Hojo experimented on you a few times and you…reacted violently when a Soldier assaulted you" she continued_

_The creature snorted "That bastard felt me up. He thought that he could get away with it. He even had the nerve to kiss me" then let out a malicious laugh "but I made sure that it wouldn't happen again"_

_Ophelie shuddered when she remembered the details of the report. The picture was enough to show that messing around didn't dote well with the creature. She surmised that she didn't want to know what the creature really was._

" _I'm guessing you're the voice in my head?" she asked_

" _Duh" the creature replied "Anything else?"_

" _First Tseng, now Rufus" she said, her voice rising an octave "Who are you? What are you? Why do this? You don't seem to gain anything from helping them"_

_The creature smirked and took a step closer to Ophelie. She reached a hand towards the Turk. Seeing that she didn't seem to mind their proximity or more likely the girl was scared of her unstableness, she placed her hand to the stunned Turks face. She smiled softly while caressing her cheek. Her eyes seem to turn back to normal, or what people thought was normal._

" _Who am I?" she moved closer and whispered "I am Meg"_

" _What am I?" she stroked a portion of Ophelie's hair then added "I am beyond the end"_

" _Why do this?" the light glow emanating from her form grew brighter. Leaf-like tattoos started to form on her forearm._

" _I guess..." the creature back away for a moment and smiled slightly as the glow on her grew brighter. Ophelie tried to approach her but the creature motioned her to stop. She complied though a bit confused at the creature's sudden change in demeanor._

"… _for freedom" the creature whispered, cloak-like wings split from the creature's back._

_Ophelie put her arm across her face as light enveloped their once dark environment. When the light faded, she lowered her arm and found herself in a field surrounded by white and yellow flowers. She turned to find Meg walking away. The creature motioned for her to follow and she complied. She looked at their surroundings as they trudged their way across the endless field._

" _Where're we going?" the Turk asked as she caught up with Meg_

" _I" Meg emphasized "am looking for her" then she gestured to Ophelie "As for you, I have no idea why you're here" she started to walk again but was interrupted by a voice_

" _I was wondering when you'd get here" a melodious voice called out which caused us to turn to face the person._

" _Aerith?" Ohphelie replied shakily as she approached her_

" _Hi Ophelie" she replied as the girl took a few steps forward_

" _Am I dead" Ophelie asked and glanced back at Meg to find her smirking_

" _Aww man" a new voice joined in "I guess Meg won the bet"_

" _Zack?" she asked as she was greeted with a wave by a man in a Shinra issued uniform_

" _Yep" he chirped "Your blondie was in here earlier"_

" _Blondie?" she questioned "You mean Rufus?"_

" _Zack" the flower girl said in warning which caused the former Soldier to smile sheepishly and scratched the back of his head_

" _Let's cut to the chase" the forgotten creature interrupted "Aerith, what's she doing here?"_

_The flower sighed slightly and replied "She wasn't suppose to end up here but there were…complications"_

_The creature gestured for her to explain. Ophelie gave them both a confused look. She didn't really know what was going on. She guessed that if she was with Aerith and Zack, she's probably dead. But she couldn't have died. Meg just told her to let go and she did._

" _They approved of the contract" Aerith said "but they think that Ophelie should be aware of it now"_

" _Why should she?" Meg asked "She wasn't when it was with Tseng"_

" _They seem to think that she has somewhat tamed you" she paused "it's probably because of her…relations with the…receiver"_

_Ophelie looked from Aerith to Meg then to Zack. The black haired man waved her off, a gesture to assure her that there was nothing to be worried about. However, she was dubious._

" _Contract? Subject?" she asked_

" _Ophelie" Aerith began but was cut off by Meg_

" _My…our..." she corrected herself "is based on a contract"_

" _Meg, you shouldn't" the flower chastised the creature but was brushed off. She looked at Zack for help but the former Soldier shrugged. He knew that the creature's temper was something to be reckoned with. It's probably the cause of Ophelie's flare._

" _A contract is made when a certain need arises" Meg continued_

" _What exactly is that need?" the Turk asked_

" _That's the big mystery" Zack piped "Even Aerith here doesn't know"_

_Meg ignored them since she was used to doing the contract when the need arose. She stared at Ophelie intensely before continuing_

" _When a contract is formed, the receiver I given control over our actions" she raised her hand to stop the question that was sure to come "the receiver also gains access to one of our abilities. However, in exchange for every command we take something back" she paused for a moment before adding "within reasonable bounds"_

" _How exactly-" Ophelie asked_

" _You have to go now" Aerith interrupted "your new friends seem to care much about you"_

" _What about-"she was cut off as she started to fall. She reached out a hand to Aerith but can't seem to reach them_

" _Don't worry. I'm sure he'll agree"_

Amber eyes snapped open and gazed frantically at the surroundings. The figure bolted up but was then pushed back down on the bed. She glared at her assailants but then her glare softened when she realized who were holding her back. She allowed herself to be pushed back only to prop herself up on her elbows. She gazed up at the figures in front of her which consisted of two boys and a girl.

"Are you alright?" a bushy haired girl asked, her brows furrowed with concern

"I'm fine Ms. Hermione" she replied indifferently

"You sure?" a redhead asked "'Mione here told us about you're brawl with Snape in the library"

The girl stared back in confusion then asked "Brawl?" then it clicked. Her eyes widened at the realization but they were too focused on the other girl's reaction

"Yes, brawl" Hermione said sternly "Why on earth you did that is just…ugh" she waved her hands in a frustrated manner

"Don't mind her" the redhead said "She's just bitter that the books got ruined"

"Well Ron some of us know how to read" Hermione countered

"I'm sorry Ms. Hermione" she apologized and glanced at the glasses-wearing boy who was scrutinizing her "Is there something wrong Mr. Harry?"

Harry hesitated for a moment but then asked "Who are you, Ophelie Marcia?"

The girl smiled ruefully and replied "I'm not so sure myself"

The Boy-Who-Lived opened his mouth to further interrogate the transfer student but was cut off when the infirmary's door opened. A blond boy entered and he was greeted with a harsh stare. He brushed them off with an air of indifference and approached the bed where Ophelie was currently residing. The redhead stepped in front of him to cut off his path. The blond merely raised an eyebrow and tilted his head to meet the girl's amber eyes. She replied by shrugging her shoulders.

"What do you want, Malfoy?" the Ron asked, despise lacing his voice

The blond flicked a stray lock then replied curtly "I need to have a word with Ms. Marcia"

"Whatever it is you can say it out loud, can't you?" Harry chided, fixing an intense gaze at the blond

"That is between me and Ms. Marcia" the blond replied coldly, suggesting that his patience was being stretched

Before any physical hostilities ensued, the figure on the bed intervened by clearing her throat. They focused their attention to her. She gave them a dismissive wave signaling that they should take their leave. They were hesitant about leaving her along but she glared at them which caused them to leave. The glasses-wearing boy gave her an accusing look before joining his peers. The door slammed closed and Ophelie was left alone with the blond. She turned her attention to him.

"I thought we were being inconspicuous Rufus" Ophelie began as the blond took a seat at the foot of the bed

"We were" Rufus sighed "the situation has become rather complicated"

"I understand" she replied in a remorse tone "It seems my actions have garnered unwanted repercussions, for that I apologize"

The blond wave his hand as if brushing the episode aside and said "Water under the bridge" then focused on the figure propped on the mattress

"Sir?" the girl began but hesitated "Is…there something wrong?"

The blond met her gaze. He still got lured into those amber hues. However, he learned that those eyes could turn deadly faster that he could say his name backwards. The girl fidgeted under his gaze. This was what confused him. He knew that she could unleash immense power that rivaled that of the silver-haired General but she seemed to follow every command without hesitation. He was shook out of his reverie when he felt a hand on his shoulder. He hadn't realized that he spaced out. He gaze a slight smile to placate the girl. She seemed to fall for it for a moment but her eyes narrowed in suspicion. The blond let out a sigh. He knew he wouldn't be able to fool her for long.

"Unfortunately there is" he paused for a moment "What do you remember?"

Ophelie hesitated for a moment and averted her gaze. However, a hand grazed her cheek lightly and stayed there. This caused her to face him. She didn't want to tell him but Aerith's voice rang in her head.

" _Don't worry. I'm sure he'll agree_ "

She let out a steady breath and muttered "Contract" which caused the hand on her cheek to stiffen

"I see" the blond replied. However, instead of pulling away from the girl, he moved closer and rested his arm on her shoulder. This caused the girl's eyebrows to furrow in confusion.

"Sir…I…" the former Turk began but was cut off as the blond gave her shoulder a reassuring squeeze

"Ophelie" the blond said softly "I was hoping you remembered something else"

The girl nodded and replied "Same here, Rufus" she looked up as the hand left her shoulder. She met his gaze and found calculating icy azures

"Rufus?" she asked hesitantly

The boy stood up and ran a hand though his hair then said "Tell me more about this contract" then headed for the door

"Of course…Rufus" she muttered as the door closed. She then rolled to her side and curled to a ball, her mind littered with thoughts of the blond.

 _I'm sorry Rufus_ she thought as she curled a hand on the pocket watch under her robes and forced herself to fall asleep


	10. Discovery

Purging the Pain

Disclaimer: I don't own FF7 or HP.

Synopsis: Rufus, who was sent to a parallel dimension, is followed by his bodyguard (unknown to the TURKS) is forced to reveal herself and assist him in trying to get back in their world. RufusXOC

Chapter 10: Discovery

A tall dark and bulky man continued to pace the wooden floors of Healin lodge. His face was neutral, however, his anxiety was apparent due to the abrupt turning he made every time he reached one end of the floor. This person's name was Rude.

He adjusted his tinted glasses and made his way to his boss' room. Both eager and calm, he stopped in front of the door and gave three sharp knocks before inquiring the state of his charge.

"Sir. Are you alright?" he asked in a neutral yet caring voice

After a few minutes of silence, he heard a grunt and a muffled reply "Yes. I'm fine. Just…trying to get some sleep"

At this, Rude raised an eyebrow and thought. _He never gives an explanation for whatever he's doing. That's…strange._ At that he then asked "Sir. Would you like some tea and snacks?"

"That would be appreciated" came the reply through the door "Chamomile tea and a few pieces of biscuits" At that, Rude left and headed for the kitchen to prepare the requested meal.

His movements were swift and he wasted no energy in preparing the snack for the president. Of course, he took the liberty of grabbing himself a drink or two – non-alcoholic due to being on duty.

When he arrived at the room, he then again gave three sharp knocks to alert the boss of his presence. After hearing a confirmation of being allowed to be inside, he opened the door and stepped into the makeshift office of the fallen ruler of Midgar.

"Sir" Rude said softly as he set down the snacks "You should be resting"

The blonde, instead of replying, chose to ignore his employee and continued to do the paperwork that was on his desk. After a few minutes of silence, he looked up and azure eyes met the soft brown eyes of Rude – he had taken off his tinted lenses since the Turk had no need to hide his emotions from his employer.

"I know" the man replied with a sigh "It's just disconcerting" he added, gesturing to the piles of reports littered across his desk.

Rude remained silent at that since he knew from experience of making reports for Tseng. It was no easy feat especially with a partner like Reno. Elena was better but she was usually partnered with the Wutanian.

"Will that be all?" Rude asked. His voice tinted with concern

Rufus thought for a moment then said "For the moment, yes and thank you"

The quiet man gave the President one last look and left the room, the door closing with a soft 'click'.

The blond man sighed again and thought _I hope that my counter-part is doing better…it sucks to be him right now._

A few days after the incident at the library, the brunette from the other dimension together with her boss – in the body of her not boss – were spotted lounging near the lake of the enchanted boarding school. Whatever their conversation was, no one was privy to. Although, this would cause a raise rumors that would be soon be circulating not only at the academia but at the circles of the elite, particularly of one Draco Malfoy.

The brunette also known as Ophelie, was sitting underneath a large tree. Together with her leaning on the tree, stood the once known President of the Shinra Electric Company, Rufus Shinra. The blond, who although currently trapped in a teenager's body, still retained his charisma and ability to make almost anyone quiver under his gaze.

Ophelie openly stared at the blond before letting out a heavy sigh "So" she started "What do you want to know about the contract?" she asked in a defeated tone

Rufus met her gaze before replying gently "I just want to know the essentials" he said his gaze at her softened

The one of girl's eyebrows rose at that "Just the essentials?" she said in a skeptical tone

Rufus chuckled at that then said "Of course. But additional information would always be welcomed" he said bland tone

Ophelie rolled her eyes before telling about what happened while she was under the influence of the entity. She also made mention of the Last of the Ancients' premonition and his meeting with the Ex-Soldier. Throughout the report, the former president remained silent and nodded to urge her to continue. After telling of the account, Ophelie gave him an inquisitive stare as if to ask what he would do about it.

"How does one go about this contract?" the blond asked tentatively

Ophelie stared at him with disbelief before stating "You actually want to go through with it?!" she said in a muted shrieking tone

"Why not?" he shrugged "Aerith seems to know that something would happen. We should look at this as an opportunity to check whether or not you would be capable of turning this situation around"

The brunette fell silent and pondered "But we don't know what might happen to you" she said in a soft and worried tone

"I think" the blond started "I would…or at least this body would be fine" he said nonchalantly

The girl knew that it was no use arguing about it "When do we do it?" she asked, still a bit hesitant about performing the contract

Rufus thought for a while then replied "As soon as possible" he straightened and dusted his robes, checking for any bark that he might've miss after leaning on the tree for so long. He then made his way back to the castle and beckoned the girl to follow. She stood up and straightened her robes then followed him.

They walked silently. However, blond was slowly but surely moving closer to the brunette. Ophelie, being a bit clueless, didn't notice the change. Rufus, being the observant one, started noticing a few things about his bodyguard. First, was that her eyes seemed brighter. He concluded that it must have been due to the power surge she experienced during the incident. It was probably due the remaining traces that the entity, Meg, left. Second, her stance seemed to be more cautious if not more stealthy. He could hardly hear he footsteps while they were trudging through ground between the castle and the lake.

Ophelie, finally noticing the closeness of the blond, threw him an inquiring look. The blond merely smiled and shook his head. This made Ophelie a bit confused. She shrugged and just thought of it as another of her boss' few quirks.

Her thoughts were interrupted when the blond suddenly stopped and turned to look at her with such intensity. She gave the blond a confused look as if trying to ask what was wrong. The blond searched her eyes. His azure eyes meeting amber ones. After a moment Rufus spoke.

"Are you alright?" he asked softly, his gaze softening in concern.

The brunet gave slight smile before answering softly "I'm alright as I'll every be"

"That is good" Rufus replied though his voice remained neutral. He then made his way to the castle. "We should be prepared for the worse."

"I know that" Ophelie replied before tugging the sleeve of the Rufus' robe "But something else is bothering you"

The blond remained silent for a few moments before responding. A soft sigh passed his lips before he answered "Something happened to me in the hospital wing before I woke up"

"I see" the brunet replied "then that makes us the same since something also happened to me in the hospital wing while I was asleep."

"Go on" the blond encouraged her, his voice turning soft as they entered the corridor of the castle. He signaled her to follow him to an empty classroom.

Ophelie followed him and shut the door to the room. She then sat beside Rufus as he took a seat in one of the chairs. She took a deep breath before telling him the story about meeting the Ancient and the Soldier in her dream, along with meeting another creature named Meg. She didn't notice the President's eyes harden at the mention of the creature. After explaining her side of the story, Rufus then also told her about meeting the same people.

Amber eyes grew wide since it was obvious that it was not a coincidence that they both met the same people in the Lifestream. Something was at work. Something great and terrifying at the same time, the existence of the contract caused this. They both knew this. Now they must both deal with the consequences.

"So" Ophelie started "When do initiate this contract?"

The President stared at her with such intensity before replied "As soon as we find a vacant room. However, we should time it with the visit to the wizarding village as not to arouse suspicion. It is either that or do it at the dead of the night"

The Turk remained quiet for a awhile before replying "I think we should do it at night. Less suspicious since our acquaintances might ask us to accompany them to the village"

The blond hummed in agreement before making his way to the door. He gestured her to follow and added "Come. We have few more classes before dinner. I suggest we need to participate more on their activities to be able to blend in. I seem to have caused quite a stir in the status quo."

"That you have sir." The brunet replied. Amusement tinged her voice


End file.
